Gundam Wing-Battle of the Next Generation
by Lilangel4u
Summary: AC 220-With the gundam pilots too old to fight, it is up to their children to preserve the peace won by their parents. However, do these children, raised in an era of peace, have what it takes to preserve their parents' legacy? Review please! ^_^
1. Part One: Introduce the Cast Danger Rear...

Author's Note: Try reading at least some of Ghosts of the Past before reading this one, so   
you'll know who Reiming and Meilai are. That's all!  
  
Gundam Wing-Battle of the Next Generation  
  
Preventer Headquarters: Wufei Chang, Meilai Ron  
  
Profiles: AC 220  
Progeny of Gundam pilots 1-5 and Zechs Merquise/Lucrezia Noin  
  
Possible MS pilots; possible MS pilot arrangements  
  
Mariko Yuy  
DOB AC 201   
Current Age: 19  
Parents: Heero Yuy (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/Relena Darlian (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)  
Height: 5 foot 6 inches  
Relatives: Uncle-Zechs Merquise, Aunt-Lucrezia Noin, Cousin-Reena (older), Aelis (older),   
Geoffry Merquise (younger)  
Weight: 105 lbs  
Eyes: sky blue  
Hair: dark brown, long  
Personality: very friendly and open; somewhat naive; has had a very protected upbringing by her  
her parents, mainly upon the insistence of her mother; has been trained to be a  
diplomat like her mother; very close to her parents; nearly the opposite of her  
father; pacifist; very intelligent  
Miscellaneous notes: good friends with Aelis Merquise; occasionally called Riko; constantly  
works at her father to open up more   
  
Jericho Maxwell  
DOB AC 197   
Current Age: 23  
Parents: Duo Maxwell (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/Hilde Schbeiker (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)  
Relatives: Brother-Thomas Maxwell (younger), Sister-Eva Maxwell (younger)  
Height: 5 foot 11.25 inches   
Weight: 160 lb  
Mobile Suit: Deathscythe II  
Eyes: blue  
Hair: dark brown, w/a spiky tail  
Personality: rambunctious and jovial; impatient; personality similar to that of his father;  
careless; easy to like; practical joker; can be somewhat insensitive; usually  
means well but may sometimes hurt others; exceedingly loyal to his friends,  
especially Reena Merquise  
Miscellaneous notes: seems attracted to Reena Merquise; occasionally called Jerry; is an  
excellent mechanic and is skilled with computers; can usually talk his way  
out of any situation, and when he can't, easily fights his way out; skilled  
in small arms; has limited MS training; enjoys flirting with Reena  
Merquise; is constantly defending and protecting Reena, who occasionally  
seems shallow; excellent physical condition; is always wondering why Aelis  
Merquise detests him  
  
Thomas Maxwell  
DOB AC 205  
Current Age: 15  
Parents: Duo Maxwell (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/Hilde Schbeiker (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)  
Relatives: Brother-Jericho Maxwell (older), Sister-Eva Maxwell (younger)  
Height: 5 foot 4 inches  
Weight: 115 lb  
Mobile Suit: Wing II  
Eyes: blue  
Hair: dark brown, cut short   
Personality: rambunctious and jovial, however, this does not make him careless like his  
brother; personality similar to that of his father; easy to like; is optimistic but  
understands that there is a time for seriousness; very focused; loyal; pays   
attention to details, no matter how minor; very intelligent; protective of his  
sister  
Miscellaneous notes: good friends with Geoffry Merquise; does a lot of covering for Jericho's  
mistakes, and when he forgets, Eva takes over; is an excellent mechanic and  
skilled with computers; can usually sneak in and out of places without   
being caught; excellent fighter (has practiced with his brother and father  
ever since he was born); skilled in small arms; has limited MS training;  
enjoys teasing his brother about Reena; excellent physical condition; tries  
to get Geoffry to open up more  
  
Eva Maxwell  
DOB AC 208   
Current Age: 12  
Parents: Duo Maxwell (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/Hilde Schbeiker (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)  
Relatives: Brother-Jericho, Thomas Maxwell (older)  
Height: 5 foot  
Weight: 90 lb  
Eyes: dark blue  
Hair: black, medium length in two braids  
Personality: somewhat shy, especially when compared to her two older brothers; pays attention to  
details; focused; polite; isn't afraid to get her hands dirty (but prefers not to);  
loyal; very intelligent; hates war; adores her parents and brothers   
Miscellaneous notes: does a lot of covering for her brothers' mistakes; excellent mechanic; has  
some skill in small arms  
  
Giselle Barton  
DOB AC 204   
Current Age: 16  
Parents: Trowa Barton (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/Reiming Chang (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)  
Relatives: Uncle-Wufei Chang, Aunt-Cathrine Bloom, Meilai Ron,   
Cousin-Wuten, Wuli Chang (somewhat older)   
Height: 5 foot 5.5 inches  
Weight: 100 lb  
Mobile Suit: Seraphim  
Eyes: emerald green  
Hair: black, long, with top section pulled back in a ponytail  
Personality: cheerful and happy; excellent actress (easily manipulates everyone but her  
parents and Clare Winner and occasionally Rayan Winner); kind hearted; has a fiery   
streak; can be somewhat rebellious; very attached to her parents but sometimes   
fights with her mother; personality similar to that of her mother; intelligent;  
flirtatious, especially with Rayan Winner; loyal to her friends and family  
Miscellaneous notes: seems attracted to Rayan Winner; best friends with Clare Winner; works  
occasionally at her father to speak more; excellent gymnast and knife  
thrower; can usually talk or flirt her way out of any situation; has  
limited experience with small arms; can usually sneak in and out of places  
without getting caught; enjoys teasing her more serious cousins; enjoys  
plotting with Clare; enjoys flirting with Rayan  
  
Rayan Winner  
DOB AC 203   
Current Age: 17  
Parents: Quatre Raberba Winner (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/  
Dorothy Catalonia (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)  
Relatives: Aunts-30 various, Sister-Clare Winner (younger)   
Distant cousin-Mariemaia Khrushrenada (older)  
Height: 5 foot 7 inches  
Weight: 118 lb  
Mobile Suit: Sandrock II  
Eyes: sky blue  
Hair: blond, cut short  
Personality: very protective of his younger sister and Giselle Barton; kind hearted; does not  
believe in fighting but is not a pacifist; calm but not dull; can take a joke;  
very loving towards his parents; has a strong sense of honor; very focused;  
perceptive; polite; diplomatic; neat and organized; pays close attention to details  
Miscellaneous notes: seems attracted to Giselle Barton; good friends with Wuten and Wuli Chang,  
though he spends much time arguing with them about their love for  
fighting; spends much time trying to figure out whether Giselle is being  
sincere or not; excellent strategist; excellent fencer; has good training  
in small arms; has limited MS training; enjoys flirting with Giselle;  
excellent musician; is being trained to inherit the family's business;  
is in good physical condition  
  
Clare Winner  
DOB AC 205   
Current Age: 15  
Parents: Quatre Raberba Winner (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/  
Dorothy Catalonia (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)  
Relatives: Aunts-30 various, Brother-Rayan Winner (older),   
Distant cousin-Mariemaia Khrushrenada (older)  
Height: 5 foot 4 inches  
Weight: 98 lb  
Eyes: sky blue  
Hair: blond, cut a little past the shoulders  
Personality: very loving towards her parents; flirtatious; very intelligent; fiery; personality  
similar to that of her mother; detests war; polite; usually obedient; somewhat   
spoiled   
Miscellaneous notes: best friends with Giselle Barton; spends much time with her manipulating  
Wuten and Wuli along with her brother; excellent fencer; excellent  
musician; enjoys teasing her brother about Giselle  
  
Wuten Chang  
DOB AC 204   
Current Age: 16  
Parents: Wufei Chang (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/Meilai Ron (DOB AC 181, Current Age: 39)  
Relatives: Uncle-Trowa Barton, Aunt-Reiming Chang, Brother-Wuli Chang (twin, younger)   
Cousin-Giselle Barton (somewhat younger), Distant relative-Cathrine Bloom  
Height: 5 foot 5 inches  
Weight: 103 lb  
Mobile Suit: Altron II  
Eyes: black  
Hair: black, cut short  
Personality: very loyal; strong sense of honor; aggressive; fiery; somewhat foolish; loves to  
fight; detests how his cousin Giselle is always one step ahead of him in wits;  
serious; personality similar to that of his father; intelligent  
Miscellaneous notes: good friends with Rayan Winner; excellent martial artist; has excellent  
training in small arms and MS; spends much time arguing with Rayan about  
his dislike for fighting; admires his parents greatly; excellent physical  
health; prefers letting his fists do the talking  
  
Wuli Chang  
DOB AC 204   
Current Age: 16  
Parents: Wufei Chang (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 40)/Meilai Ron (DOB AC 180, Current Age: 39)  
Relatives: Uncle-Trowa Barton, Aunt-Reiming Chang, Brother-Wuten Chang (twin, older)   
Cousin-Giselle Barton (somewhat younger), Distant relative-Cathrine Bloom  
Height: 5 foot 5 inches  
Weight: 103 lb  
Mobile Suit: Phoenix  
Eyes: black  
Hair: black, cut short  
Personality: very loyal; strong sense of honor; more submissive than his brother; more cautious  
than his brother; loves to fight; puzzles over how his cousin Giselle is always  
one step ahead of him in wits; is less serious than his brother; personality   
similar to that of his father, though less intense; intelligent; more perceptive  
than his brother  
Miscellaneous notes: good friends with Rayan Winner; spends much time arguing with Rayan about  
his dislike of fighting, though respects his opinion; has a compassionate  
spot for his cousin though will never admit it; admires his parents  
greatly; occasionally tries to get his brother to relax; excellent martial  
artist; has excellent training in small arms and MS; excellent physical  
health; prefers fighting to talking, but is willing to talk  
  
Reena Merquise  
DOB AC 197   
Current Age: 23  
Parents: Zechs Merquise (DOB AC 176, Current Age: 44)/Lucrezia Noin (DOB AC 176, Current Age: 44)  
Relatives: Uncle-Heero Yuy, Aunt-Relena Darlian, Sister-Aelis Merquise (twin, younger)   
Cousin-Mariko Yuy (younger)  
Height: 5 foot 8 inches  
Weight: 127 lb  
Eyes: sky blue  
Hair: blond/brown, long  
Personality: cheerful; can be somewhat shallow; somewhat spoiled; flirtatious; can sometimes  
accidentally skip over important details; adores her parents, sister, brother, and  
Jericho Maxwell; is earnest in her efforts; loving; kind hearted; somewhat naive;  
very intelligent (when she puts her mind to it); hates war with a passion; curious  
Miscellaneous notes: seems attracted to Jericho Maxwell; enjoys modeling; always working at her  
sister to relax; spends a lot of time on her appearance; enjoys flirting  
with Jericho Maxwell; works at her father and brother to open up  
  
Aelis Merquise  
DOB AC 197   
Current Age: 23  
Parents: Zechs Merquise (DOB AC 176, Current Age: 44)/Lucrezia Noin (DOB AC 176, Current Age: 44)  
Relatives: Uncle-Heero Yuy, Aunt-Relena Darlian, Sister-Reena Merquise (twin, older)   
Cousin-Mariko Yuy (younger)  
Height: 5 foot 8 inches  
Weight: 127 lb  
Mobile Suit: Epyon II  
Eyes: sky blue  
Hair: blond/brown, long and pulled into two low pigtails  
Personality: serious; focused; pays attention to all details; adores her parents and sister and  
brother, even though she and Reena are always fighting; polite; always tries her   
hardest; quiet; very protective of her sister; very intelligent; excellent   
strategist; protective of her younger brother; kind hearted  
Miscellaneous notes: good friends with Mariko Yuy; is always working at her sister to be more  
serious; is a scholar and enjoys reading and writing poetry; has a good  
background in small arms, computers, and MS training; in good physical  
health; thinks of Jericho Maxwell as an annoyance  
  
Geoffry Merquise  
DOB AC 206  
Current Age: 14  
Parents: Zechs Merquise (DOB AC 176, Current Age: 44)/Lucrezia Noin (DOB AC 176, Current Age: 44)  
Relatives: Uncle-Heero Yuy, Aunt-Relena Darlian, Sister-Reena, Aelis Merquise (older)   
Cousin-Mariko Yuy (older)  
Height: 5 foot 3.75 inches  
Weight: 101 lb  
Mobile Suit: Heavyarms II  
Eyes: dark blue  
Hair: blond, pulled back in a short ponytail  
Personality: quiet and aloof; doesn't open up easily, although to those he does realize that he  
is a person of depth; personality nearly identical to that of his father and  
that of Trowa Barton; is quiet and unassuming but is in reality always gauging   
situations; extremely perceptive; excellent strategist; extremely focused; though he  
doesn't show it, loves his parents and sisters and is willing to die for them; loyal  
to his close friends; is kind hearted, though he doesn't seem like it  
Miscellaneous notes: good friends with Thomas Maxwell; good fighter; good background in small  
arms, computers, and MS training; enjoys watching his two older sisters  
fight; usually surprises people by revealing pieces of information no one  
ever knew that he knew; can usually get in and out of places without  
being detected; admires his parents greatly  
  
Existing Gundam Suit Choices: Wing II, Deathscythe II, Heavyarms II, Phoenix, Sandrock II,   
Altron II, Seraphim, Epyon II  
  
Possible Suit Choices (blueprints available) : Wyvern II, Basilisk II, Griffon II, Chimera II,   
Tallgeese III  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Well then, here you have it: the new cast for my newest fanfic! What do you think? All of them  
have made a debut in my first fic, Gundam Wing-Ghosts of the Past, but this it the first time  
that I'm basing a fic on them, though I promise you that the original cast of Gundam Wing  
characters that we all know and love will be major parts in this fic; I personally hate it when  
they get upstaged. Send me feedback PLEASE!!! I will even take flames (though I prefer  
compliments:)). Email me at lilangel4u@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Wufei frowned at the screen in front of him. "Is that everything?" he asked his wife and  
fellow Preventer, Meilai, who was typing.  
  
Meilai nodded. "In a nutshell, yes. But in a very accurate nutshell," she added.  
  
Wufei looked some more, then finally nodded, and sighed. "I really had been hoping that we  
never had to do this, Meilai," he said quietly. Meilai understood, and stood up to give her  
husband a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I know, Wufei, I know," she said quietly. "But, well, we  
can't just ignore the reports that we have been receiving, and we're just all too old..."  
  
Wufei pulled his wife near him, needing her presence to comfort him. "Still...we've all fought  
so hard! We've fought for peace, we've fought to break the endless waltz! And yet..."  
  
"Hush, Wufei...You can't do anything about that. This is all that we can do."  
  
Wufei sighed some more and said, "Well then, may as well present this to Lady Une."  
  
a few minutes later  
  
A tired Lady Une sat at her desk. Her usually neat desk was in complete disarray. "Come in,"  
she called wearily at the knock on her door.  
  
Wufei and Meilai walked in. "Good day, Lady," Meilai called in greeting. Lady Une's lips  
twitched. "Good day, is it? It has not been a good day ever since we got the first reports of  
dissension..."  
  
Meilai nodded sadly. "Well, I tried," she said wearily. Lady Une smiled. "Your effort to  
cheer me up is appreciated, though, my friend. Thank you. Now, what is it that you have?"  
  
At a glance from his wife, Wufei laid the pile of papers on Lady Une's desk. "Lady Une," he  
began quietly, "Meilai and I...we had hoped never to have to do this. But..." and he trailed  
off, unable to continue. Meilai squeezed his hand comfortingly, and Wufei suddenly just  
broke down. "Wuten...Wuli...Please...forgive me," he choked through his sobs.  
  
Lady Une, shocked to see the usually stoic Wufei lose control, immediately started to read the  
papers. Her eyes widened as she saw the names. "Possible...MS pilots?" she said, shocked, then  
understood. "Oh Wufei...Meilai..."  
  
"Please Lady, don't say anything," Meilai said softly, barely controlling her emotions  
herself but needing to be strong for her husband. "It was torture, deliberately making the  
decision to place our children and the children of the other gundam pilots into this mess.  
Please...just...don't..." she trailed off in barely a whisper.  
  
"I understand..." Lady Une said quietly. "Thank you, you two...You may go..."  
  
After the two had left, Lady Une closed her eyes, and a tear trickled down her face. "Oh,  
Mariko, Jericho, Thomas, Eva, Giselle, Rayan, Clare, Wuten, Wuli, Reena, Aelis, and Geoffry...  
I'm so sorry that fate had to tangle you in this mess...you are merely the children...but you  
are also our only hope..."  
  
Finally, she forced herself to control her emotions. Picking up the papers, she began to read.  
  
a few days later...  
  
Jericho Maxwell whistled happily as he walked down the hallway of the airport, a dozen roses  
in one hand. Today he would see his girlfriend Reena again, and just at the thought of seeing  
her, his face broke into a silly grin. He had known her since they were three, and he had  
never stopped loving her. Even when she began her modeling career, they had remained loyal to  
each other. Finally, her tour was over and she was coming home...and coming back to him.  
  
Jerry stood at the gate and waited impatiently, watching the minutes slowly crawl by. Finally,  
the shuttle pulled in and he impatiently stood by the line of disembarking passengers, tapping  
his foot and searching for Reena's face. Suddenly, he was knocked over from behind.  
  
"What the-?!"  
  
His only response was a giggle. Turning around, he saw the face of his laughing girlfriend,  
Reena Merquise. "You should see the look on your face," she said gleefully, laughing and  
tossing her head. Jerry grinned. "Welcome back, babe," he said, opening his arms, and Reena  
dove into them.  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
Jerry and Reena were in Jerry's car, very...busy. In between kisses, Reena told Jerry what had  
happened during her trip, and Jerry told her how things were back home. "Aelis still hates   
me," he frowned. Reena laughed. "Oh silly!" she said playfully, "She doesn't hate you, she  
never has," and leaned in for another kiss. After that and several more, Jerry said, "But   
really, every time she sees me, she just frowns at me."  
  
"Oh that...well...she thinks you're kinda...stupid."  
  
"Stupid?!"  
  
"Oh come on sweetie, she just doesn't like your hair, or how you're kinda loud  
sometimes, you know. But I," she said, snuggling against him and playing with the short tail  
of hair, "think you're fine. But don't worry, she doesn't hate you."  
  
Jerry sighed and pulled Reena close to him. "Yeah, I guess you're right..." and he kissed her  
some more.  
  
"Busy, I see?"  
  
"What?!" Jerry sputtered, turning this way and that...and stared into the face of his  
snickering brother, Thomas. "Thomas...I swear...I am going to kill you..."  
  
Thomas just laughed in his brother's red face. "Aw, come on. Think about me. Think about how  
I felt when Dad woke me at six in the morning, told me to get Sis and you and me over to  
Preventer headquarters on another colony, how I felt when I called and you weren't home, and  
then how I had to break into your smelly and dirty apartment, look up your itinerary, rush here,  
and then find you making out in your car. And oh, by the way," he said, "hey there Reena.   
What's up?"  
  
"Hi Thomas!" Reena said cheerily, not embarrassed at all.  
  
Jerry sighed. "Looks like I lost this battle..." he muttered, then frowned. "Preventer  
headquarters? Six in the morning? Dad NEVER gets up that early, and we haven't dealt with the  
Preventers in years!"  
  
"No duh, Einstein! Looks like you've finally understood how bad this is. I have no  
clue why we're supposed to get there, but Dad definitely didn't look happy. He and Mom had  
already packed their things when they woke me and were practically shouting directions at me  
as they were running out the door. Now then," he said, "I'll leave you two animals alone, but  
I'm trusting you that you're both going to stop your making out temporarily and get yourselves  
tickets. Eva and I already have ours, and we're going to be leaving soon. You two can finish  
your business after the meeting. Later," and he walked away.  
  
Jerry sighed and watched his brother's retreating form. "Well babe, you heard him," he   
muttered. "Let's go."  
  
Reena also studied Thomas, and turned to Jerry worridly, unusually quiet and serious.   
"Jerry...could it be? Another war, like the one 17 years ago?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
several hours later...  
  
Rayan Winner paced around the meeting room, anxiously awaiting the final members of the group:  
Trowa and his family. The rest were already there: Heero with Relena and Mariko; the entire  
Maxwell clan, even twelve year old Eva; Quatre and his family; Wufei and his family; and Zechs  
and his family. He had not liked the look on his father's face when he had paged him in the  
middle of an important meeting this morning, and he was worried...and when he was worried, he  
always thought of the worst case scenarios.  
  
"Where is Giselle? Why are they late? Did their shuttle crash? Did their car get  
hijacked? Did-?"  
  
"Rayan, shut up," Clare Winner said irately. "Just shut up. You're not helping, and  
I'm sure Uncle Trowa, Aunt Reiming, and Giselle are quite capable of taking care of themselves."  
  
Rayan ignored his younger sister and continued pacing, though he did stop muttering. In a   
few minutes, the door opened, and in walked Trowa, Reiming, and Giselle. "Sorry we're-" Reiming  
began.  
  
"Giselle! You're okay!" Rayan cried, rushing towards the girl. Clare groaned and hid  
her face in her hands. "Rayan...I don't know you..."  
  
Giselle just laughed and smiled coquettishly. "Did you miss me?" she said sweetly, looking at  
him up through her lashes.  
  
"I can't help it if I was worried about you!" Rayan said defensively, but Giselle hushed  
him by placing a finger on his lips. "Shh..." she said teasingly. Rayan sighed, then smiled  
and put an arm around Giselle. "Okay, so I overreacted...but I've missed you," he   
murmured. Giselle looked up at him looked up at him and smiled a genuine smile. "I've missed  
you too..."  
  
"Ahem!"  
  
Giselle groaned and turned around to face her older cousin, Wuten Chang. "Really Giselle! You  
arrive and then-"  
  
"Calm down, Wuten," Wuli said soothingly, coming up behind his twin. Wuten didn't  
back down. "I don't believe this! My cousin, who shares MY blood, acting so-"  
  
"Yes yes...'promiscuous'...'an utter disgrace'...I've heard them all Wuten. Can't you  
be somewhat more creative?" Giselle said in a bored voice.  
  
"Hey, everyone, fight another time, okay?" Thomas spoke up, then grinned and added,   
"I place $30 on Giselle if there's a fight between Giselle and Wuten."  
  
Giselle laughed in her cousin's furious face, and then sat down. Glowering, Wuten allowed Wuli  
to lead him back to his chair.  
  
At the head of the table, Lady Une regarded the antics of the pilot's offspring with an  
amused expression. "It never fails," she thought. "They always make life easier to live...but  
then here I am, about to destroy that..."  
  
Lady Une cleared her throat, and simultaneously, every head swiveled in her direction. "I'm  
afraid," she began quietly, "that I have some bad news."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
How do you like chapter one? Send me feedback please!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"As you know, the job of the Preventers is to put out fires, so to speak," Lady Une  
began. "Over the years, there have been a few sparks, as well as two major firestorms," she  
said, referring to the Mareimaia incident and then the Reiming/Meilai incident. "However...  
there have been no major threats for a while. Which is why, now, when there IS one..."  
  
"HOLD it! Threat? What threat?" Jerry demanded, standing up.  
  
"Sit down," Thomas grumbled, but not taking his eyes from Lady Une. "Let Lady Une  
talk before you open your big mouth."  
  
"Listen, I'm eight years older than you. I can take you any day!"  
  
"Right right..."  
  
"Boys!"  
  
At that, both Jerry and Thomas turned, surprised. Duo Maxwell had slammed him fist into the  
table, and was glaring at them both. Jerry glanced at Thomas; their argument forgotten. All  
their life, Duo had been a reminder to them not to take life too seriously, to never forget to  
have fun. But now, the enraged and red faced man was definitely not the father they knew, at  
least, they only saw this side of him whenever they were particulary out of line.  
  
"This is serious business! The two of you are here because we RESPECT you as  
RESPONSIBLE and MATURE individuals whose opinions we value! If that is too much to ask of you,  
kindly leave this room, and don't come back!"  
  
"Duo!" Hilde admonished gently, but her words didn't reach her infuriated husband's  
ears. Jerry and Thomas exchanged another glance, and they both subsided. "Sorry Dad," they  
both muttered.  
  
Duo also sat, glowering, but his temper starting to cool. As Lady Une continued, he mentally  
scolded himself. "That was stupid, Duo," he thought. "You've never lost your cool like that,  
not even during the war...But this is different. Jerry and Thomas...they'll never survive if  
they act like that...I could lose my sons!"  
  
Next the Duo, Hilde regarded her husband worridly. Ever since that morning, when Duo had  
woken her up at 5:30 AM, he hadn't acted the way he usually did. All he had told her was that  
he had received a call from Lady Une and that they had to get to Preventer headquarters  
immediately. "Why is he so upset?" she wondered.  
  
At the head of the table, Lady Une sighed and glanced at Wufei, Meilai, Heero, and Duo; they  
were the only ones that had any idea what was going on. The rest only knew that it had to be  
serious; they had no idea that it would involve their children.  
  
"As I was saying," she continued, "there hasn't been much trouble that we couldn't  
handle by ourselves. But now, we have received reports that some of the DESCENDENTS of the  
Rommefeller foundation have banded together. They believe that they were robbed of their  
privileges as nobles when all borders were eliminated and all weapons were discarded. They  
are especially...upset...at us Preventers because we are allowed to own weapons, specifically,  
the gundams. They've spent many years stockpiling for an all out assault against us."  
  
"Lady Une...what are you saying?" Relena asked quietly.  
  
Lady Une took a deep breath, then said, "Wufei and Meilai gave me something a few days ago...I  
have decided that it is the best course to take, but I thought you all deserve to know. Here  
are your own copies," and she passed out duplicates of the packets Wufei and Meilai had given  
her. "I'm...so...sorry," she whispered.  
  
Quatre stared at his son's name in the packet. "Pilot...Sandrock?" he whispered, the wind  
rushing out of his stomach. "No..."  
  
Hilde also stared at the names of her two sons, and turned frantically to see her husband's  
stoic expression. "So that's why...he knew..."  
  
"We're very sorry...minna san..." Wufei said quietly. "But we're all too old...this is  
the only way..."  
  
"No."  
  
Surprised, Wufei looked up. Reiming had not stood up; she had not shouted. Instead, she was  
staring straight in front of her. "Giselle will not fight."  
  
"Mother!" Giselle said, standing up.  
  
Reiming completely lost control. Standing up so quickly that she knocked her chair over, she  
whirled to face her brother. "Wufei, how could you?!" she snarled. "How could you DARE to  
involve Giselle in this mess?! How could you! Giselle has known only a life of peace; she  
wasn't MADE for the battlefield! She won't last five minutes! If you want to involve your  
children, fine, that's your choice. But keep my child out of this!"  
  
"Reiming, please..." Trowa said quietly, attempting to mollify his wife. Wufei, in the  
meantime, looked like he had been slapped across the face. "Excuse me," he said quietly, and  
left the room, not wanting the others see him cry. Meilai quickly followed.  
  
Reiming still glared at their retreating forms with smoldering eyes. "Mother..." Giselle  
pleaded, trying to get her mother to listen. Reiming didn't turn around. "Giselle, we are  
going home," she said quietly.  
  
"No!"  
  
Reiming turned around. Giselle had tears streaming down her face. "No, I won't run away! I  
refuse to run! I'm needed, and I can't just leave them!"  
  
"Giselle LISTEN TO ME! You have NO IDEA what it's like out there on the battlefield!  
I do! I've LIVED on it for most of my life, and let me tell you, it is NOT pretty! How would  
you like to watch your friends die! How would you like it to watch all your friends here die  
in front of your eyes?! Because Giselle, that is what life on the battlefield is like! Well,  
what do you think?" When Giselle didn't respond, Reiming shouted, "ANSWER ME!"  
  
"I DON'T KNOW!" Giselle sobbed. "I don't know what I think! But I can't just run  
away! Isn't that what you've taught me?"  
  
"I've also taught you not to die in vain. By participating, that's exactly what you'd  
be doing! You will DIE Giselle! I know you will!"  
  
"How WOULD you know?!"  
  
"I know because I've seen people like you die! People like you don't LAST out there!"  
  
Giselle couldn't take it anymore, and she ran from the room in tears. Reiming stormed out   
after her, her face stony. Trowa sighed and stood. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, "but I must  
agree on Reiming on this subject. Neither of us will allow Giselle to fight," and he exited.  
  
The rest of the group looked dully at their retreating forms. "Well then," Lady Une said, after  
an awkward silence, "I suppose I forgot to mention that participation in this is completely  
voluntary."  
  
"I will fight."  
  
Lady Une smiled thinly at Jerry, who had stood up resolutely. "But Jerry..." Reena began, but  
subsided. Smiling sadly, she said, "I understand..."  
  
"I will fight also," and Thomas stood.  
  
At this, Lady Une looked quickly at Duo to gauge his reaction, but his face was blank. "I...  
I already knew...what they would say..." he said heavily, unlike the usually happy Duo that  
everyone knew. "Dad..." Thomas said quietly. "We...we won't act...the way we did...when we  
fight..."  
  
Duo smiled wearily at his sons. "Yeah...I know...Go out there for me and show them what the  
sons of the Great Destroyer can do, okay?"  
  
"Yeah..." Jerry said quietly, then looked at Hilde. "Mom...?"  
  
Hilde didn't try to hide the fact that she was crying, but she looked up at them and said, "I'm  
proud of you, boys. I'm...so...proud..." and she couldn't continue.  
  
"Oh Mom..." Eva Maxwell whispered. Nearly the complete opposite of her brothers, but  
perhaps equally intelligent, Eva snuggled up to her mother to comfort her. "It's okay, Mom..."  
the child whispered, but not quite believing what she said herself.  
  
Lady Une nodded briefly at them, then turned to Quatre and Dorothy. "How about you? Will you  
allow Rayan to fight?"  
  
"Do we really have a choice?" Dorothy said bitterly. Quatre agreed and sighed  
heavily. "If...he wishes to...Rayan will fight..." he said dully.  
  
Rayan looked at his grieving parents with pain and turned to Lady Une. "It will be an honor...to  
fight for peace..." he said quietly.  
  
"NOOO!!!"  
  
Clare Winner hurled herself at her brother and clung to him, sobbing wildly. "Rayan, I'm   
sorry! For everything I ever did, for all the times I teased you, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! But  
please, don't go fight! Don't leave me! You'll die!"  
  
At this show of emotion, Dorothy couldn't take it any more. "Excuse me," she whispered, and she  
too left the room. Rayan looked down at his crying sister and smiled painfully. "It's okay  
Clare...it's okay. Nothing's going to happen..."  
  
"NO! I'm not a little girl anymore Rayan! I'm fifteen years old! I'm not living in  
some fairy tale! I know...that you'll probably die..." and she buried her face in his clothes  
again, crying.  
  
Rayan let his sister cry a little more, then gently, pushed her away. "I'm sorry, Clare," he  
said quietly, looking in her eyes. "But...I have to. Because if I don't, who will?"  
  
"Rayan..."  
  
"Clare, niichan...I love you..."  
  
"Oh Rayan!" and Clare sobbed anew, but she soon stopped. Sniffling, she attempted a   
smile but failed. "Go...go out there...and show them what you're made of," she choked, before  
she fled the room.  
  
Now Lady Une was feeling absolutely horrible, but she continued resolutely and turned to face  
Wuten and Wuli. "Are you two..."  
  
"Yes," both said firmly, without hesitation. "We have been raised to be warriors," Wuten  
said. "We may as well use our skills."  
  
"You are fully aware of the risks-"  
  
"Of course, Lady," Wuli said quietly. "We will fight, and if necessary, die, with  
honor."  
  
Lady Une nodded her thanks, and finally, turned to Zechs and Noin, who were sitting there with  
stony expressions on their faces. "Zechs...Noin?"  
  
"Yes," Zechs said flatly. "Noin and I will allow Aelis and Geoffry to fight."  
  
"Aelis?"  
  
The quiet young woman looked calmly back at Lady Une. "Lady...I will do my best."  
  
"Geoffry?"  
  
The silent and sometimes cold teenager looked at Lady Une. "Lady Une...I will fight," and he  
said no more, lapsing back into his usual silence. Lady Une nodded, and said heavily, "Well  
then, it is settled. Jerry, Thomas, Rayan, Wuten, Wuli, Aelis, and Geoffry will undergo  
training immediately, and should the time come, fight on our behalf. This meeting is  
adjourned." 


	2. Part Two: The First Casualty A Change of...

Chapter 3  
  
After his sister had nearly ripped him apart with her outburst, Wufei had gone home and sat in  
his room. Meilai didn't know how to make her grieving husband feel better, and so she left him  
alone.  
  
After a few hours, she heard Wuten and Wuli coming through the door. "Mother?" Wuten called.  
  
"In here, Wuten."  
  
The twins walked in. "Mother...Wuli and I have accepted our mission," he said carefully,  
waiting to see his mother's reaction.  
  
Meilai could only smile sadly. "Yes, your father and I knew you would. But...we...we're so  
sorry..." and she finally allowed herself to cry.  
  
The two boys exchanged glances; they had rarely ever seen their mother cry, and neither was  
used to displaying his emotions. However, they still sat down next to her and each took one  
hand.  
  
"Mother, please, stop crying," Wuli begged softly.  
  
"Why are you upset? We are warriors; we are meant to fight," Wuten said.  
  
Meilai sighed and shook her head. Looking at her sons with pride and pain, she said, "Yes...  
your father and I have raised you well. You are both truly warriors...but I can't help it."  
Controlling herself once more, she said, "Wuten, Wuli. We've watched over you since the day you  
two were born-"  
  
"We're perfectly capable-" Wuten began, but Meilai held up a hand. "Listen to me, my  
son," she said quietly. "Once you fight...once you're out there...things will be different.  
Trust me on this one. I...I don't know what will happen to you out there. I don't know...if  
you will lose your souls, and your humanity."  
  
Alarmed, the two stared at their mother. "Lose...our souls?" Wuli asked quietly.  
  
"Yes..." and Meilai stood up and walked over to a desk in the room. She removed two  
fat stacks of paper and handed them to the twins. "These stories...they were written by your  
Aunt Reiming and me. It is the story of our past. Once you read them, perhaps you will  
understand what I mean," and she left the room.  
  
a while later...  
  
Wuli glanced at his twin, who was still reading. Finally, Wuten looked up and sighed. He  
rubbed his temples and smiled sardonically at his twin. "Well then, Brother..." he said,  
attempting to bridge the silence between them.  
  
Wuli was also feeling overwhelmed. "She never told us..." he said quietly.  
  
"We never asked."  
  
"Yes...but still..." Wuli frowned, then said, "Wuten, do you think Mother and Aunt  
Reiming have lost their souls?"  
  
Wuten frowned as he pondered the question. "No...I don't think so..." but he did not sound  
certain. "I take that back," he said. "I think that they may have lost their humanity once,  
but have found it again." Then he stood up. "I'll be packing," he called over his shoulder.  
  
"Wuten," Wuli called.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What would you have done...in their position?"  
  
Wuten sighed and shrugged. "I guess...whatever I would have to have done in order to survive,"  
he admitted dully, and left.  
  
Wuli watched his brother walk away, and he too sighed. Glancing at the papers in his hands, Wuli  
said softly, "Mother...Father...We will not disappoint you."  
  
"At least...I hope we won't."  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Meilai cautiously entered the master bedroom, not knowing if Wufei was still in his depressed  
state. "Wufei?" she called out.  
  
"In here."  
  
Meilai walked into the room and found her husband throwing some things into a duffel bag. "What  
are you doing?"  
  
Wufei sighed and continued with his packing. "Trowa and Reiming are on a neighboring colony  
right now, performing. I'm going to go there to apologize."  
  
"Umm...Wufei...Why don't you let her cool down a little first?"  
  
"I...I can't. I just have to get this off my chest. I have to..."  
  
Meilai smiled sadly and reached over to help him pack. "I understand...I will go too then. I  
have...some apologizing of my own to do..."  
  
a few hours later  
  
Reiming stormed around camp, perhaps dumping the water into the animal troughs a little more  
forceful than was necessary. Though it had given her a good deal of satisfaction to rant and  
rave at her brother, deep down, she was still furious, mainly because she knew that her  
brother was probably right. Stopping her work, Reiming wiped her brow and sighed. Giselle  
was a good candidate for a gundam pilot, she admitted. She was athletic, resourceful,   
intelligent...everything there was to be a pilot.  
  
"But she is too emotional," Reiming said wryly. "And people with emotions, people who  
can feel...don't last long..."  
  
As she stood there, lost in her thoughts, Trowa walked out. The return flight has been  
extremely unpleasant; Reiming and Giselle had bickered all the way to the airport; had sat in  
stony silence on the flight back; and then now, Giselle had fled to her room for refuge,  
sobbing all the way. Trowa sighed. He had to admit, Giselle certainly was not a bad  
candidate to be a pilot. Mariko was much too kind and lacked the physical ability; Eva was too   
young; Clare certainly had the potential to be one but was still somewhat lacking in the  
skills department; and Reena was too sheltered, and her personality was totally all wrong.  
  
Reiming looked up and saw her husband. "Trowa...?"  
  
"I don't want Giselle to fight either," he said simply.  
  
She smiled thinly, and allowed him to draw her close to him. "But Trowa...are we doing the  
right thing...?"  
  
Trowa rested his chin on his wife's head; she had said the exact thing that was worrying him.  
"What if...if she doesn't fight...we lose...?"  
  
"Reiming?"  
  
Jerking herself upright, she turned to glare at the sheepish forms of her brother, sister in  
law, and two nephews.  
  
"Er..." Wuli said uncertainly.   
  
"Um..." Wuten stammered.  
  
"Reiming, Trowa, we're sorry," Meilai blurted out. "We hadn't wanted to involve our  
own children either, and certainly not yours-"  
  
"Save it Meilai."  
  
Meilai winced inwardly at Reiming's sharp tone; she evidently hadn't forgiven them yet.  
  
Wufei took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Reiming, this is all my fault-"  
  
"Yes it is."  
  
"Well, what I'm trying to say-"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Reiming, let me finish!" Wufei exploded.  
  
Reiming was nonplussed. "I understand. You try to place my daughter in jeopardy, and you think  
a simple apology is going to do it? Well then, you're-"  
  
CLICK  
  
CLICK  
  
CLICK  
  
"What-?!" Wuten whirled, and stared at the barrel of the gun in his face. There were  
similar arrangements for his brother, parents, and aunt and uncle.  
  
"Don't move," one of the men holding the guns sneered.  
  
"Who are you?" Wuli demanded harshly.  
  
They laughed. "Well then, won't hurt to tell you then...we are here on the orders of the  
Neo-Rommefeller Foundation. We were sent here to spy, to see if you Preventers had caught  
wind of their plans. And since you obviously have, all that's left is eliminating you, and then  
to report back."  
  
The three men laughed, while the others glared. Wufei ground his teeth in frustration. He  
couldn't believe what was about to happen.  
  
Then...  
  
Suddenly, all three stopped laughing abruptly. Their eyes seemed to bulge, and all three  
slumped forward, dead.  
  
Reiming stared, not believing that she was not dead. Then she got a second shock. There were  
knives protruding from the backs of the three men. "Those are Cathrine's knives. But..." and   
she stared at the figure standing in the trees, right behind the three bodies. "Giselle..."  
she choked.  
  
Giselle stared at the shocked expressions on the faces of her relatives, and she started to  
tremble. Suddenly, she couldn't take it anymore, and she tore off into the forest.  
"Giselle!" Wuli called after his distraught cousin, and tore off after her.  
  
Meanwhile, back at the camp, Reiming stared dully at the bodies of the three men. Then, she  
said in a trembling voice, "I...I will..." she choked, and she flung herself at Trowa and  
began to cry uncontrollably. "Giselle...will fight," she finally managed. "I...can't  
protect her...anymore..."  
  
Trowa comforted his grieving wife, a tear trickling down at his face. "Wufei, Meilai," he said  
quietly. "Please send word to Lady Une...that there will be an eighth member to the team..."  
and the two turned around and went back to their trailer.  
  
Wufei, Meilai, and Wuten stared at their retreating figures. Finally, Wuten cleared his  
throat. "I will...inform Lady Une now," he said, and quickly turned away, not wanting his  
parents to see his tears.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Cousin! Giselle! Where are you?" Wuli called, crunching through the leaves. Watching  
the light filter through the leaves, he thought bitterly, "It shouldn't be this beautiful on a  
day like this..."  
  
Wuli stomped through the forest some more, before he heard the sound of Giselle crying. Sighing,  
he steeled himself and headed in that direction.  
  
Giselle was curled up in a fetal position at the base of a tree, her body wracked with sobs.  
Hesitantly, Wuli went up to her. "Cousin...?"  
  
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she cried. "I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!"  
  
Wuli turned away in pain; he didn't want to see his cousin suffer like this. He let her cry a  
little longer and finally said, "Younger Cousin...you had no choice. We'd all be dead if it  
weren't for you...you saved us all."  
  
Giselle looked up at her cousin with a tear stained face. "You don't understand!" she cried.  
"It was...horrible..." she gasped, then she started to cry again. "Oh my God! I...I...KILLED  
them!"  
  
Wuli sighed and sat down next to her. "Is this what Mother meant by losing your soul?" Looking  
at his cousin, he thought bitterly, "Yes...this must be it. Giselle...she has been destroyed..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
For those of you who haven't read Operation: Natural Selection, well, that is what Meilai  
gave Wuten and Wuli to read. Basically, it's a prelude of sorts to Ghosts of the Past, and it's  
written in chapters alternating from Reiming's and Meilai's POV. It's the story of Reiming  
and Meilai's past.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"I see..." Lady Une said slowly, regarding the solemn young man on the vidphone in  
front of her. "So then, they have been investigating us..."  
  
"Yes Lady. However, it seemed like that they were the first to come investigate. But  
even so, when they do not return, the Neo-Romefeller Foundation will know that they have been  
discovered," Wuten said.  
  
"Yes, that is right...Well then, Trowa and Reiming have decided to allow Giselle to  
undergo training then?"  
  
"Yes..." Wuten said slowly and hesitantly.  
  
"Wuten, what's the matter?" Lady Une demanded.  
  
Wuten sighed. He had told Lady Une that the three spies had been killed; he had not said by  
whom. However, he took a deep breath and began to explain.  
  
"Lady Une, I had hoped not to tell you this right away; please forgive me, that was  
very cowardly of me to do. But when I told you that the three spies had been killed, I had  
hoped to make it seem that my father had killed them. That...is not the case. The three of  
them had secretly surrounded us before pulling out their guns. We would all be dead if it  
weren't for the fact that Giselle appeared from nowhere and killed them by throwing the knives  
she performs with into their backs. But that...has destroyed my cousin. As we speak, she is   
somewhere in the forest, crying her heart out," he finished heavily.  
  
During his speech, Lady Une's eyes had widened. "Giselle...killed them?" she stammered.  
  
Wuten nodded heavily. "Yes...it was she. We owe her our lives...but she had to pay for them  
with her soul...That is why Uncle Trowa and Aunt Reiming have allowed her to go; her fate has  
been sealed; she is destined to be a soldier."  
  
Lady Une sat, stunned. "Giselle..." she whispered. "Oh, the poor girl..."  
  
"With all due respect, Lady," Wuten said stiffly, "I should be getting back to my  
parents, unless you have any more questions?"  
  
"No no, Wuten. Thank you very much...Please tell your parents that there has obviously  
been a change in plans; please arrive at Preventer Headquarters tonight. We will be starting  
Operation: Firestorm much earlier than planned."  
  
Wuten's mouth jerked up in a half smile. "Firestorm...time to fight fire with fire, is it?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
After he had terminated the connection, Wuten sighed and leaned against the wall. "I think...  
that I'm beginning to understand what Mother said..." he admitted to himself quietly. "And it  
is more horrible than I could have every imagined..." Then, he straightened and went back to  
him parents.  
  
After the initial shock had worn off, Wufei and Meilai had begun searching the clothes of the  
dead men. There wasn't much to find; since the three had been spies, they had carried no  
identification with them. Sighing, Wufei stood up. "Nothing more we can do here," he said  
heavily to Meilai. "All we can do is take care of this," he said, waving to the bodies.  
  
Meilai nodded, then turned as her son returned. "Yes?"  
  
"Lady Une says for us to arrive at Preventer headquarters tonight. Operation: Firestorm  
will begin earlier than planned," he said flatly, staring at the three bodies.  
  
Wufei and Meilai nodded, understanding. "Well then, we'll wait for Wuli to get back, and then  
we'll head straight there," Wufei sighed, staring into the forest.  
  
In the forest, Wuli sat uncomfortably next to his still crying cousin. Finally, however,  
Giselle managed to reduce her sobs to hiccups, and finally, Wuli said, "Giselle...we should  
be getting back."  
  
"O...Okay..."  
  
Giselle hunted around until she found a stream, and splashed water on her face, and the two  
cousins headed back.  
  
Wufei turned around quickly at the sound, but relaxed when he saw his son and niece come into  
view. Wuli looked despondent, and Giselle's eyes were red and puffy, and the light that was  
once in them was dampened considerably.  
  
"Giselle...your parents have given you permission to fight," Meilai said hesistantly,  
not knowing how her niece would react.  
  
At this, Giselle burst into tears once again. "They...they must HATE me!" she choked out.  
"They don't want anything to do with me again!"  
  
"No, Giselle! Don't say that!" Meilai cried, distressed at her niece's words.  
  
"Then why are they pushing me away?!"  
  
Meilai really couldn't answer her niece's question; she only could embrace the crying teenager.  
After she had calmed down somewhat, Meilai told her to be at Preventer headquarters that  
evening. "You'd better start packing," she told her gently. "We will wait for you."  
  
Giselle nodded miserably, and slowly headed for the trailer.  
  
inside...  
  
Giselle stood in the entry way, not wanting to go in. Finally, she steeled herself and  
opened the door.   
  
Trowa was leaning against the wall in the family room, staring off into space. When he heard  
his daughter come in, he turned to face her.  
  
"Daddy..."  
  
"Giselle, I am so sorry that you had to go through that."  
  
When she heard her father say that, she began to cry once more, and she flung herself into her  
father's arms. Trowa started at his daughter's sudden burst of affection, and he patted her  
awkwardly, innerly cursing to himself. "I'm so inadequate!" he thought angrily. "I can't  
even comfort my daughter when she's upset."  
  
"Oh Daddy...Please don't hate me! I'm sorry! I didn't-"  
  
Trowa cut off her daughter and stared at her sadly. "Giselle...the reason your mother and I  
didn't want you to fight was precisely this reason. Do you understand that now?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"But now, we realize that we can no longer protect you. You'll have some very fast  
growing up to do now. But never forget, we will always love you...and when this is all over,  
we will be waiting for you...we will always be here, waiting for you..."  
  
"Oh Daddy..."  
  
"Hush now, Giselle. You must be strong now. Don't cry."  
  
Giselle nodded, and wiped her eyes. "I...I have to leave now...Jiisan and the others are waiting  
for me outside."  
  
Trowa nodded. "I know. Your mother and I are coming also." When Giselle looked up,  
surprised, he said, "Yes, I know that you're surprised. But Lady Une decided that it would be  
better if the relatives of the new gundam pilots stayed at the Preventer headquarters. For  
safety reasons."  
  
Giselle nodded uncertainly, then asked, "Where's Mom?"  
  
"Inside our room."  
  
"I'd...I'd better go...see her..."  
  
When Giselle entered the dim master bedroom, she saw her mother sitting on the bed. There  
were various items on the bed: a few bags, a stack of papers, and some other miscellaneous  
objects. When Reiming heard her daughter come in, she smiled sadly at her and opened her  
arms.  
  
Giselle dove headfirst into her mother's arms and hugged her fiercely. When she removed herself  
and looked at her mother, Reiming smiled thinly. "That's good Giselle...you're not crying..."  
  
"Daddy...told me...that I had to be strong. That I shouldn't cry..."  
  
"Yes Giselle...That's right. You'll have to be very strong...from now on..."  
  
Regaining her composure, Reiming handed Giselle the papers. "Your aunt has already shown these  
to your cousins; it is time that I do the same. The story in these papers is not pretty; it  
talks of your aunt's and mine past. It is time for you to read it...to prepare yourself  
mentally for what lies ahead..."  
  
Giselle nodded mutely and took the papers. Then Reiming reached under her clothes and pulled  
out a necklace she always wore: a charm in the shape of a phoenix. She stared at the  
glittering object for a few seconds, and then she sighed and took it off and handed it to her  
daughter. "Mother...?"  
  
"Your Jiisan has one in the shape of a dragon. When we were born, we were given these;  
a symbol of our unity as twins. Later, when we were separated...I believe that it is this  
necklace that allowed me to cling to the remnants of my humanity, and to never forget who I  
was. It's yours now. Wear it...and never forget who you are: that you are my daughter...a  
person with a soul...Perhaps...this will allow you...to preserve your humanity..."  
  
Giselle took the necklace with trembling hands, and stared at it. "I won't forget, Mother..."  
she whispered, looking down at it. "I swear it...I will never forget..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
What did you think of chapter four??? Feedback please!:)  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Clare walked around her room restlessly. Ever since Lady Une had contacted them, her nerves  
had been frazzled. Thanks to the superfluous amounts of servants her family had, they had  
been able to move into Preventer headquarters within half a day. As Clare surveyed her new  
temporary room, she felt like breaking something.  
  
"The color's all wrong; there isn't enough room for my things; WHY don't I have the  
corner window?!" she ranted, not really angry at the room itself; just upset about the  
reason behind the room. Finally, she grew tired at screaming at the room and went to find her  
brother.  
  
in another room...  
  
Rayan regarded Wuli worridly. "So how is Giselle now?" he asked quietly.  
  
Wuli sighed at the face on the vidphone in front of him, and glanced over at his stony faced  
cousin. "Well..."  
  
Rayan looked past Wuli and at Giselle. "I see..." he sighed, grieved. He couldn't believe how  
much he cared for the girl; he felt as if her pain was his. "So, how much longer until you  
arrive?"  
  
"About an hour."  
  
"Alright...see you in an hour...and please, take care of her for me?"  
  
"Yeah...sure."  
  
"Rayan?"  
  
Turning around, Rayan saw his sister staring at him. "What was that all about?" she asked, a  
worried expression on her face.  
  
Rayan sighed. "Giselle...is having some problems."  
  
"Oh, you mean how she isn't allowed to fight?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Rayan, what is going on?"  
  
"Clare...Giselle was forced to kill three Neo-Romefeller spies today," he said flatly.  
"She is taking it hard."  
  
Clare's eyes widened. "Kill?!" she exclaimed, shocked. Rayan nodded tiredly. "Yeah...that's  
the reason why Trowa-sama and Reiming-sama have allowed her to fight. She may as well now, now  
that her innocence has been lost."  
  
Clare shook her head, shocked. "I don't believe it," she whispered. "GISELLE?! Are you  
sure?"  
  
"Clare...what do you think? Just...be prepared. Giselle's changed."  
  
"I know...I just don't want to believe it," Clare sighed, then asked, "Rayan, could it  
possibly get any worse?" she said, not really wanting to hear his response.  
  
Rayan didn't say anything, only stared out the window. "Oh Giselle..."  
  
a few hours later...  
  
Giselle walked around like a zombie. The initial shock of killing had worn off; she had  
withdrawn to some corner in her mind. She had not spoken after her discussion with her  
mother, and had simply unpacked her things after they had arrived. Then, someone knocked on  
her door.  
  
"Giselle?"  
  
Clare hesitantly poked her head into Giselle's room. "Hey there," Giselle said tonelessly.  
  
At the doorway, Clare cringed at her voice. "Rayan was right...she HAS changed..." Regardless,  
she entered her friend's room. "So...when will you all begin training?" she asked, trying to  
start up conversation.  
  
"Tonight."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Giselle continued to rearrange her belongings as Clare sat there helplessly. Suddenly, she  
couldn't take it any more. "Giselle, I'm so sorry," she blurted. "I...I don't know what to  
say..."  
  
"So don't say anything."  
  
"Giselle!" Clare gasped, feeling as if she had been slapped across the face.  
  
Giselle turned to her hurt friend. "It's the only way," she said dully. "It's the only way I'll  
be able to live with myself."  
  
"Oh Giselle..."  
  
"Hey what's up?" and Thomas stuck his head in the room cheerfully. "Hey Clare! Hey  
Giselle! Awesome rooms, eh? I've actually got space left over for new things."  
  
"Yeah..." Clare said listlessly. Thomas frowned. "Geez, what's the matter with you?"  
Then he grinned. "Oh...I know...the room at YOUR place is huge compared to your little   
'cubicle' here eh? Haha, silly girl!" he mocked, glancing down at her and winking.  
  
Clare rolled her eyes at him and ignored him. Thomas sighed and went to work on Giselle. "So  
Giselle, sup? Hey, what's with that long face?"  
  
"Nothing..."  
  
"Aw, come on! Lady's just told me that your parents have finally given in! You get to  
join us! Aren't you happy?" he said somewhat sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah, overjoyed."  
  
Thomas frowned. "Hey hey now," he frowned. "This isn't your style now! The Giselle I know  
would either hit me or giggle or roll her eyes at me or something, not walk around like she  
was half asleep! Come on! What's wrong?"  
  
"Save it, Thomas," and Geoffry walked in. He nodded to Clare and turned to Thomas.  
"Look, not everyone on this planet is as excited as you are."  
  
"Whoa man! Relax! Not everyone on this planet is as cold as you are!"  
  
"Look, I just killed three people. Are you happy now?!" Giselle exploded, and a tear  
slipped down her cheek.  
  
"Yeah yeah, I kn-WHAT?!" Thomas sputtered. "You're not serious!"  
  
"Look at her Thomas. Do you THINK she's joking?!" Geoffry snapped at his friend. The  
two were completely different; Thomas was loud and cheerful, Geoffry was silent and calculating.  
Despite that, however, the two were best friends. However, at this moment, Geoffry really  
wished his friend weren't so dense.  
  
"Hey...I'm sorry Giselle," Thomas said meekly, then turned to Geoffry. "How did you  
know?"  
  
"Lady Une called my father. She didn't tell everyone because she didn't want to  
publicize it."  
  
"Clare, did you know too?"  
  
"Yeah...Wuli told Rayan, and Rayan told me," she said quietly, and then went over to  
comfort her friend. "It's probably best...if you guys left right now..." she said quietly, an  
arm around Giselle. The two boys nodded and left, shutting the door behind them quietly.  
  
Once alone, Giselle completely broke down. "Shh shh...go ahead and cry Giselle," Clare soothed,  
rubbing her distressed friend's back. "It's okay...just let it out..."  
  
"I'm...I'm not supposed to..."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I...I have to be strong."  
  
"Bull. Just cry."  
  
"But you don't understand! I'm a soldier now, I can't be weak."  
  
"Contrary to popular belief, soldiers can be human too. My father is living proof of  
that. Stop torturing yourself Giselle."  
  
"I guess..." Giselle murmured, and she reached down and clutched her pendant. "My  
mother...gave this to me today. She said that it would help me retain my humanity, but I  
don't know..."  
  
Clare smiled sadly at her friend. "Have faith, Giselle. One war will not destroy the  
cheerful girl I've grown up with. I believe in you...as does my brother."  
  
"I hope so...Clare, I'm sorry for snapping at you."  
  
"Hey, it's all good. Don't worry about me so much."  
  
Giselle nodded uncertainly, and dried her tears.  
  
Out in the hallway, Thomas smacked himself on the head. "Ugh! I can't believe I did that!   
Sheesh, I'm acting more like Jerry more and more everyday!"  
  
Geoffry's expressionless face cracked into a smile. "Yeah...that was kinda dumb," he  
admitted. "But I'll give you credit: you had no idea what was going on."  
  
"But still, I can't believe how stupid I was!"  
  
"Oh well, you made a mistake. Deal with it."  
  
"Thanks ever so much for your sympathy."  
  
"Mmm...you're welcome," Geoffry said smoothly, then smiled. "I have to wonder...are  
you upset because you just stuck your foot in your mouth, or because you stuck your foot in  
your mouth you also upset a certain blonde in the other room?"  
  
"NANI?!?!" Thomas sputtered, nearly falling over. "What is THAT supposed to mean?!"  
  
Geoffry only chuckled, and continued walking, as Thomas continued to sputter. "There is  
NOTHING between Clare and me! I've hardly ever seen her growing up! How the heck did you get  
THAT idea?!"  
  
Geoffry smiled. "I know you have feelings for her, even if you yourself don't know it yet,"  
he said calmly, and then changed the subject, "Ready for training tonight?"  
  
Recovering his composure, Thomas muttered, "Yeah sure, right." Then his eyes lit up. "I'm   
gonna whup your ASS! Wing Gundam all the way!"  
  
Geoffry rolled his eyes. "Pathetic," he sneered, and grinned. "We'll see about that!"  
  
Laughing, the two young men strolled down the hall to the hangar to pay a visit to their   
gundams.   
  
Chapter 6  
  
Rayan stood uncertainly outside of Giselle's room. He longed to see her again, to comfort her,  
to hold her...but he was too frightened. "How has she changed?" he wondered. Images of her  
cold face kept on coming back to him, and he shuddered; they were completely unlike the  
Giselle that he knew.  
  
Rayan stood at the door, and nearly had a heart attack when the door suddenly opened. "What?!"  
  
"Brother?"  
  
"Er...hi Clare."  
  
Clare frowned at her brother, and stepped out. "What are you so afraid of?" she hissed to him  
quietly. Rayan sighed and shrugged helplessly. "I don't know..."  
  
Clare rolled her eyes and shoved him into the room. "Really...do I ALWAYS have to do   
everything for you?!" she grumbled as she shut the door behind him. Rayan sighed, and turned  
to face Giselle. "Um...hi Giselle."  
  
Giselle smiled sadly at the nervous Rayan in front of her. "Hello, Rayan. Am I that scary?"  
  
Rayan's head jerked up at her sad tone, and in a few strides, he crossed the room and held her  
close to him tightly. "Giselle...I'm sorry. I didn't know what to say; I was scared, and I'm  
so sorry. Please forgive me."  
  
Giselle smiled a little and put her head against his shoulder. "It's okay...I don't blame  
you..." she said softly.  
  
Rayan tightened his hold on her, his heart being ripped in two. "Rayan, you were so selfish!"  
he scolded himself angrily. "You were just thinking about yourself; you didn't think about how  
SHE felt." Taking her and looking her in the eye, Rayan said firmly, "Giselle, I still love you.  
I always will. Please...do you still love me?"  
  
Giselle's eyes opened in shock. "Rayan..."  
  
"It's fine by me if you don't feel the same way; I know, we're really too young to really  
know anything about love...but the feeling I have for you, it's love. I just...wanted you...to  
know that..."  
  
"Oh Rayan...I love you too."  
  
"You do?" he said somewhat stupidly, then blushed. "I mean, great! Er...I mean, um...  
what I mean is-" he stuttered before Giselle went up and kissed him.  
  
"Giselle..." he said softly, and then bent down to kiss her. "Rayan...I will love you,  
always and forever," she murmured after they parted. "But please...I don't know what this  
war is going to do to me. Please...don't leave me...please," she whispered, not daring to  
meet his eyes.  
  
Rayan smiled, his insecurity completely gone. Tilting her chin up, he looked into her eyes and  
said, "I promise. I will never leave you. I swear it."  
  
a few hours later...  
  
The original gundam pilots, their offspring, and Lady Une gathered in the hangar for the first  
part of the training.  
  
"Now," Lady Une said briskly. "We are NOT," she said severely, staring at Jerry in  
particular, "going to be doing anything extravagant today. Tonight, ALL we are going to be  
doing is getting you eight acquainted with your mobile suits. For those of you that have not  
had any MS training, let me tell you, it is NOT easy. Your suits all give off extremely high  
levels of intensity, and they are NOT easy to control. Also, the cockpit system in itself is  
particularly dangerous. If not controlled, IT will control you. So, NONE of you are going to  
go and do anything foolish. Is that understood? Good," she said when eight heads nodded.   
"Now, are there any questions?"  
  
"Yeah..." Thomas said. "I was just curious; how did you assign us our suits?"  
  
"Each suit is unique, just like all you are, and based on your personalities, some  
suits are better suited for some than others. Also, personal preference also figured in.  
For example, Heero," and she nodded to the stoic former pilot, "does not have any children of  
his fighting, unlike for example, Wufei. It is natural that, with sons so similar to him,  
Wufei would have his sons pilot his suit. But since Heero isn't in that position, he instead  
allowed the children of his best friend to pilot it. Also, the reason you are piloting the  
Wing Gundam instead of your father's Deathscythe is because, one, we all remembered how  
Jerry pestered his father all the time when he was little, begging to pilot it some time," she  
smiled at flustered Jerry, "and also because, and I mean no offense by this, you have a more...  
focused...personality than your brother."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Sorry Jerry, but that is the truth. Wing Zero is an VERY difficult suit to control;  
out of the eight, Wing Zero and Epyon are the two most uncooperative suits. They have been  
known to drive pilots insane. Therefore, we were very careful about assigning those suits."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Yes...MS piloting is not all fun and games," Lady Une said grimly. "In fact, NONE of  
MS piloting is fun and games. Now, any more questions? Giselle?"  
  
"Well...is there any reason I'm piloting Seraphim instead of my mother's Phoenix?"  
  
Lady Une smiled a little at that. "If you had piloted Phoenix, that would have left one of your  
cousins with Seraphim. I had a feeling that, your cousins both being males, that they would  
not appreciate having to pilot a suit with a woman's face on it. Is that all? Okay then,  
each of you, approach your suits."  
  
Jerry approached Deathscythe II with glee. "Wow...I don't believe this, I'm actually finally  
gonna be able to pilot this thing! Now...how do I open the door...Hey!"  
  
In his enthusiasm, he had forgotten that the door opened straight up and out, and had nearly  
been swept off his feet. "Smooth move bro!" Thomas called over. "Now THAT is sure to  
impress Reena!"  
  
"Shut up," Jerry muttered, blushing. Down below, Reena let out a giggle.  
  
Still laughing, Thomas turned to Wing II and carefully stood out of the way as he opened the  
door. "Nice," he murmured, appraising the interior. Along with his brother and sister,  
Thomas had done some work with mobile suits in the salvaging business, and he knew them well.  
"Very impressive...Well then, Wing, I like you. Do you like me?"  
  
Giselle cautiously entered the Seraphim. It's design was different to the other mobile suits  
with the exception of the Phoenix; it was roomier, and there were many more controls.  
Giselle stared helplessly. "I'm supposed to pilot this thing?!" she thought incredulously.  
"I don't even know how to start it!"  
  
"You okay over there Giselle?" Rayan called over, poking his head from the cockpit.  
  
"Yeah, sure...Where's the start button?"  
  
At this, Jerry nearly collapsed with laughter. "Start...button!" he gasped, clutching his  
sides. Giselle glared at him. "Hey, it's not my fault if I haven't spent my life investigating  
pieces of mobile suits!" she snapped.  
  
Jerry continued to laugh as Rayan shook his head. Out of all eight pilots, Giselle was the  
one with the least mobile suit experience. Jerry and Thomas worked with mobile suit  
repairs; Quatre and Dorothy had made sure that their children received training in small  
arms, computers, and mobile suits; Wuten and Wuli had been trained to fight all their lives;  
and Aelis and Geoffry, being around the Preventers since they were little, had become well  
acquainted with weapons, mobile suits included. Giselle...on the other hand...  
  
"She throws knives, walks tightropes, and does flips," Rayan thought wryly. "Oh this  
isn't going to be pretty..."  
  
In the meantime, Wuten and Wuli were having no trouble at all. Though neither of their  
parents had ever actually allowed them to pilot either of their mobile suits, they had had  
plenty of experience with Tauruses and other models. The twins each scanned the various  
consoles critically. "About the same..." Wuten mused, "but of much higher quality."  
  
Wuli was having a little more trouble. Since the Phoenix and Seraphim had been designed   
independently of the other suits, the layout was different from the suits he had worked with all  
his life. Still, he studied it carefully, and soon had a good idea of how to pilot it.  
  
Aelis agilely leaped to the Epyon and studied it quietly. As with her brother, she was fairly  
quiet and serious; her sister was constantly trying to get them to open up more.   
"Interesting..." Aelis murmured. "This suit was designed by my father's old friend; I wonder  
how it works?" and she set herself to acquainting herself with it.  
  
Geoffry was doing the same with Heavyarms. Of all the assignments, he had received the most  
surprising. Thomas receiving Wing was no surprise; his father and Heero were good friends.  
Giselle receiving Seraphim was no surprise either; it was her aunt's suit. But Geoffry really  
had little relation with Trowa and his family. Zechs and Noin weren't particularly close to  
Giselle's parents, and he wasn't particularly close to Giselle. For a moment, he wondered if  
he had simply received this suit because there weren't any left. "No," he thought, realizing  
the connection and then smiling. "Trowa-sama and I...we are nearly identical in personality.  
That is why I received his suit. Well then, Heavyarms, do you think you can accept me as your  
new pilot?"  
  
And so, the next generation of gundam pilots took the first step in acquainting themselves with  
their gundams. As they went off to bed, Lady Une called, "Don't forget! All eight of you,  
meet me here tomorrow at 7:30. Good night!" 


	3. Part Three: The Trials Begin

Chapter 7  
  
"Ugh...Dammit, stupid alarm..."  
  
Jerry was unpleasantly jarred from his dream by his obnoxious alarm. Gazing at it with  
bleary eyes, he muttered, "6:30?! WHY the heck did I set it this early? Oh yeah, training..."  
Yawning, he flopped back on his side. "Mmm...give it...another ten minutes," he murmured  
sleepily, and promptly began to snore.  
  
Aelis in the meantime had been up since 5:30. Humming to herself as she brushed her long  
light brown hair, she raised an eyebrow at the sudden swear word in the room across from her.   
"Huh, it's Jerry. Why am I not surprised?" she sighed, reaching for a hair tie. "Really, just   
what does Reena see in him?" she mused as she mentally counted off his various faults. "Rude,  
annoying, loud, horrible hair, annoying, stupid, thinks he's smart, annoying..." After about  
five more minutes, she studied her reflection in the mirror. "There!" she said, satisfied.  
Though she hardly used any makeup, unlike her sister, she was still concerned with her looks.  
Aelis Merquise certainly wasn't a ugly girl; on the contrary, she was quite pretty. Tall and  
slim with long brown hair and shining blue eyes, the taciturn girl could turn many heads;  
however, she thought spending too much time on looks was frivolous, and was constantly  
lecturing Reena on how impractical she was.   
  
"Just like how she pesters me on being too quiet," she smiled, and left the room. Once  
in the hall, she stopped and smiled faintly when she heard the sound of snoring. "He's so  
predictable," she chuckled, and continued down the hall to knock on her cousin's door.  
  
"Riko? You up?"  
  
*Yawn* "Aelis?"  
  
"Of course. Can I come in?"  
  
*SHUFFLE SHUFFLE...CRASH!* "OW!"  
  
Outside, Aelis winced. "You okay in there?"  
  
"Right right...sure, come in (stupid chair!)."  
  
Aelis smiled at the mental picture that popped in her head, and let herself in.  
  
Mariko Yuy was fully dressed, but judging from her tangled hair, she had gotten out of bed,  
got dressed...then fell back asleep. Right now, she was shifting her weight from her right to  
her left, wincing and glaring at a chair in a style very much like her father's. Aelis  
laughed. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead! We had planned to eat breakfast early today, remember?"  
  
"Of course I remember! I just...got sidetracked..."  
  
"I'll say! Just when did you go to sleep last night, young lady?" she said with  
mock seriousness. Riko wrinkled her nose. "You are FOUR years older than me. Don't you  
'young lady' me now!" but then she smiled. "I went to sleep at around three..."  
  
"Oh shame on you."  
  
"Hey, I couldn't help it! I guess, seeing the gundams..." and she trailed off.  
  
Aelis nodded solemnly, understanding. Out of all the pilots, Heero and Relena were the only  
one who didn't have children selected to pilot mobile suits, and it was good that they  
didn't. Riko was much too kind hearted, and besides that, detested war vehemently like her  
mother. Also, Relena Peacecraft Darlian Yuy had taken special precautions to make sure that her  
daughter grew up with as little exposure to weapons and fighting as possible. The end result was  
Mariko Yuy: a nineteen year old diplomat and pacifist, who probably didn't know one end of a gun  
from the other. No, Aelis thought, I take that back. There was no way Heero would have his  
daughter be that isolated, and Aelis smiled at the thought. There was a good chance that Riko  
knew much more about her weapons than her mother knew.  
  
But regardless, Riko still was very unaccustomed to war and weapons. Aelis could understand  
how seeing the gundams and knowing that they would be used would affect her.  
  
"So what time did you get up?" Riko asked, trying to change the subject.  
  
"Er...5:30."  
  
Riko sighed. "Some people..." she muttered to herself.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Sorry sorry," she grinned, and the two continued on to breakfast.  
  
thirty minutes later...  
  
"Ready for a really awesome day?" Thomas grinned as he asked the rest of the group  
enthusiastically. Thomas, Eva, Giselle, Rayan, Clare, Wuten, Wuli, Reena, and Geoffry had come   
in about ten minutes after Riko and Aelis had entered the cafeteria, and so the two had waited   
for the rest to finish breakfast. Geoffry muttered something incomprehensible under his  
breath as he munched on an apple. "What's that?" Thomas asked cheerfully.  
  
"You...probably don't want to know," Clare muttered. She had been sitting next to  
Geoffry and had barely managed to discern the words, "Immature freak."  
  
Eva frowned at her cereal. "Will you and Jerry be okay?" she asked worridly, fixing her  
brother in her gaze with her two big blue eyes.  
  
"Sure sure," Thomas said airily, patting his little sister on the head. "But," he  
said gleefully. "Geoffry had better watch out, 'cause today is the day that I show him who's  
the better of the two us! I'll show you exactly who the 'immature freak' is!"  
  
"You heard?" Clare asked, surprised. Thomas smiled smugly. "When you've known Geoffry  
long enough, you'll know how limited his vocabulary really is-Hey!"  
  
During Thomas' speech, Geoffry had been carefully finishing his apple, trying to figure out  
exactly how to fling the core at his annoying friend. Thomas was unable to duck the thrown  
projectile, and it hit him squarely in the head. Now it was Geoffry's turn to smile. "My  
friend, with reflexes like that, you won't last three seconds against me."  
  
Eva giggled at the antics of the two older boys, and went back to her cereal. Over her head,  
the two boys exchanged glances. "Thanks," Thomas mouthed to his friend. Geoffry nodded,  
understanding. Both were fully aware of the fact that they may not survive the war, and they  
hadn't wanted Eva to think too much about it.  
  
After some more eating, Wuten looked up. "You know, it's been pleasantly quiet," he mused,  
then he snapped his fingers. "Of course! Where's that annoying rat tailed fool?"  
  
"Probably sleeping," Thomas and Eva said at the same time. Aelis confirmed their  
suspicions. "I was...pleasantly...serenaded with his snoring while I was brushing my hair this  
morning," she said placidly. "Last I checked, he was still doing the same, the idiot."  
  
"He's not an idiot!" Reena said plaintively. Aelis and Wuten rolled their eyes.  
"Sure sure, Sis, whatever you say," Aelis muttered, not in the mood to argue with her sister.  
  
During breakfast, Giselle had been very quiet. Rayan nudged her. "You okay there?"  
  
"Huh?" she said, surprised, looking up. Then she smiled. "Of course I am. I'm going  
to get to learn how to pilot a thing I have no idea how it works, and then I'm going to  
fight with it. I'm just peachy."  
  
"...Peachy?"  
  
"Haha, not my word, eh?" she said ruefully.  
  
Rayan smiled thinly and squeezed her hand under the table. "You'll be fine," he said quietly.  
"I have faith in you."  
  
"Arigato..."  
  
Finally, after about ten more minutes, Wuli glanced at his watch. "You know, we've got about  
ten minutes till the designated time." Then he grinned. "Anyone else here interested in  
waking up Jerry and seeing the expression on his face when he finds out that he has ten  
minutes to eat and get dressed?"  
  
There was a stampede for the door.  
  
later...  
  
Jerry franctically dashed around room, trying to pull on his shirt and jump into his pants at  
the same time, and swearing under his breath as he listened to his friends all laugh  
hysterically outside in the hall. "Enjoy it while you can," he muttered, barely avoiding  
crashing into the wall. "Wait till you see what Deathscythe and I can do..."  
  
Lady Une hid a smile when she saw seven of the eight pilots to be standing perfectly in a line,  
fighting smiles and trying to hide their sideways glances at the odd one out, Jerry, who was  
glaring at them sullenly while trying to cram a bagel into his mouth. "Well, I see that...  
MOST...of you have made it here well prepared..."  
  
Jerry muttered something under his breath.  
  
Lady Une continued, trying not to laugh. "Today, we will allow you to test out your gundams.  
In fact, we will even allow some GENTLE fighting between you all, for you to be able to learn  
how to control your suits. Giselle, I will work with you a little in the beginning   
individually, but I'm sure you'll be able to get the hang of it in no time," she said,  
smiling. Giselle returned a weak smile.  
  
"Don't worry Lady!" Thomas said cheerfully. "We won't fight...too hard..."  
  
"You'd better not," Duo called over to his son. "Because if you bring back Wing with  
one too many scratches, your Jiisan Heero is NOT going to be...happy," he finished  
ominously, and smiling with satisfaction when Thomas shot an uneasy glance at the stoic  
Heero.  
  
"The same goes with you two," Wufei said wryly to his sons. "Aunt Reiming is not going   
to be pleased if you bring back her precious Phoenix with so much as a scratch...the same  
goes with me with Altron." Then he winked, an action he usually did not do. "Your aunt will be   
much more than not pleased. Take it from me."   
  
"Very funny Wufei."  
  
"As always, eh, Niichan?"  
  
Finishing his bagel, Jerry muttered, "Well, they had all better watch out, because I don't  
plan on showing them much mercy out there today," he said with a mock threat.  
  
Duo raised an eyebrow. "Hey now, if Deathscythe needs a new paint job by the end of today, it  
comes out of YOUR pocket. Do you have any idea on how much a few hundred gallons of paint  
costs?"  
  
"Um..."  
  
"I thought so."  
  
Lady Une sighed. It was impossible to keep the attention of teenagers...or their parents that  
still acted like teenagers. "Well then, since you obviously aren't listening-"  
  
"Sorry..."   
  
Lady Une smiled. "-you may all enter your gundams and meet me outside."  
  
"Yay!" Thomas bellowed, just to see how the others would react, and he laughed at  
their grimaces. "Thomas...grow up..." Clare muttered.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
AN: Ahh!!! I like the story...so far, but I have feeling major writer's block is coming up  
soon! PLEASE...send me your ideas! Maybe by the time this is posted, I will have hacked my  
way through writer's block...or maybe not. Anyway, feel free to send me any and all ideas  
anytime during this fic, especially concerning Thomas/Clare and the Neo-Rommefeller (ew...what  
a horrible name...any ideas for a different idea?). Email me...please! Thank you and have a  
nice day:)   
  
Chapter 8  
  
"AAAHHH!!!"  
  
"NANI?! Really, could you POSSIBLY scream ANY LOUDER?!?!"  
  
"Shut up Wuten."  
  
As Giselle had discovered, piloting a mobile suit was not easy. However, it was worse when  
her irate cousin, who was not having much more luck with his own suit, kept on popping up on  
her monitor when she least wanted him to. "Come on Giselle. This isn't THAT scary!" he   
snapped irritably, annoyed that his cousin had forgotten to turn off the microphone that was  
connected to his suit, thereby subjecting his poor ears to her high pitched shriek...Then again,   
that wouldn't have happened if he hadn't established the link in the first place to taunt her...  
  
Giselle grit her teeth and tightened her grip on the controllers. "Okay, left, right, left,  
right," she muttered to herself, trying to follow Lady Une's directions. She hadn't had much  
trouble earlier that day piloting Leos and Tauruses, but Seraphim was a completely different  
ball game.  
  
"Left, right-NO! Stupid machine! I told you to go RIGHT, not left!"  
  
"Having fun, Giselle?"  
  
This time, it was Wuli who popped up. Phoenix had been extremely uncooperative earlier, but  
now, he was very skilled in piloting it. He flew in next to him frustrated cousin and caught  
the suit as it was about to take a course of its own. "They're kinda hard to control, aren't  
they?" he said consolingly.  
  
His only response was a string of muttered curses.  
  
Wuli laughed, and said, "Well, keep at it Younger Cousin. Remember, if the computers in the  
suit don't think you're doing the right thing, it won't listen to you-"  
  
"No duh!"  
  
"-but eventually, it will learn to 'trust' you," he finished, ignoring his cousin's  
sarcastic interjection, and then flew off to join the others. Wuten followed fifteen minutes  
later, having finally mastered his own suit, partly because it annoyed him that his younger  
brother had controlled his own suit first.  
  
Giselle sighed, and went back to her drills.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
"WHOO HOO!"  
  
Thomas gleefully tore through the air, his brother hot on his heels in Deathscythe. He  
spun around to face him, and the two exchanged blows for a bit. "Wow! This is so awesome!" he  
cheered loudly, ecstatic. "Beats second hand Tauruses, eh Jerry!"  
  
"Oh yes," Jerry responded happily. It had been a good day for he and his brother; due  
to their experience, they had learned to pilot and control their own suits before anyone else.  
Wuli wasn't far behind, with Wuten lagging a little, him not having enough patience to truly  
settle down and try to figure out his suit. Giselle, of course, had the most trouble due to  
her inexperience; however, she was not much worse than Rayan, Aelis, and Geoffry, who had not  
had that much more practice.  
  
The two siblings fought some more, and then Wuten and Wuli flew in. "The two of us against  
you two!" Wuten challenged, brandishing his trident. The Maxwell brothers were all too glad to  
comply. "Better watch it!" Jerry hooted. "We're gonna pulverize you two!"  
  
"We'll see about that!" and they started to fight.  
  
Aelis and Geoffry had in the meantime been carefully running through their drills: walking,  
flying, fighting, etc. Though both had become adept in doing so at least an hour ago, neither  
was in the mood to actually fight until they were sure that they were skilled. Finally,  
however, as Thomas glanced down at the two, he couldn't take it any more. Putting on a burst  
of speed, he rushed towards Geoffry's back.  
  
He was met with a hail of bullets.  
  
"WHAT THE?!?! Hey, watch it!" he yelped as Geoffry fired away. "Geez man, take it  
easy!"  
  
His only response was a laugh. "Thought you could sneak up on me, huh?" Geoffry taunted. "I  
haven't been practicing all day for nothing! While you went off fighting with almost no  
practice, I'VE become skilled in all aspects of piloting...including how to watch my back."  
  
"Yeah yeah," Thomas grumbled, frustrated that his sneak attack hadn't gone so well.  
And it certainly didn't help that their relatives were all watching from the command tower. In  
fact, at that moment, Heero's face popped up.  
  
"Hn...think I should be worried about my suit's condition?" he asked drolly. Thomas  
sighed. "Gomen, Jiisan. I won't bring Wing back riddled with bulle-Hey!"  
  
During his conversation, Geoffry had taken the opportunity to mount a sneak attack of his own,  
and with considerably more success than Thomas'. Thomas tore off through the sky, Geoffry at  
his heels.  
  
Aelis watched them tear off through the sky, and sighed. "They will never grow up," she  
muttered, then smiled to herself. Blasting off into the sky, she went to join the fray with  
her brother and friends. "You can't fight alone!" she called to her brother. "Let's show them  
what the Merquise siblings can do versus the Maxwells and Changs!" and she started to fight.  
  
Rayan looked amusedly at the battle in the sky, then sighed. Along with Giselle, he had not had  
very much success piloting his suit, mainly because he didn't want to. He was no pacifist;  
however, he still disliked fighting immensely. As he thought about that, he smiled; that   
probably explained why Giselle always won their arguments. Then he turned to Giselle. "How's  
it going?" he called.  
  
"Better actually," she said, satisfied that Seraphim was finally obeying her. "Let's  
practice a bit on each other," she suggested, and they started a small skirmish of their own.  
  
As the day progressed, all eight became more and more skilled with piloting their suits.  
Finally, Lady Une called them in for lunch.  
  
"I'm very pleased with your progress," she said, and smiled at the eight red faced  
pilots. "You've all caught on extremely quickly, especially you, Giselle," and the girl  
smiled shyly.  
  
"Though some have had to learn the hard way," Eva muttered to herself, winking at her  
brother. Thomas glared at her, and she glared right back. "It was so funny watching you  
take off like that, when Geoffry started shooting at you."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Make me!"  
  
"I will!" and an all out battle would have started if Jerry hadn't, with a bored  
expression on his face, grabbed his brother with one hand and his sister with the other. "And  
I can take you both anyday," he remarked, "so you two just cool it."  
  
"Awww...you always ruin my fun," Thomas whined.  
  
"It isn't polite to fight with ladies, even if she IS our annoying little sister."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Settle down you three. Now, I can take all three of YOU anyday, so can it," Duo  
spoke up.   
  
Relena regarded their antics and smiled. "Yet another typical day with the Maxwells," she  
murmured. After the last conflict fifteen years ago, her family had been sure to maintain  
contact with the Maxwells, and she was glad that they did. Duo's presence had warmed up Heero  
a little more, and Hilde had served as Riko's second mother when Relena was away at meetings  
or business trips. By now, Relena was accustomed to the eventfullness that came along with a  
meal with Duo and his family.  
  
Next to her, Hilde rolled her eyes. "They will never grow up, especially not Duo," she  
whispered to Relena. "Eva is doing quite nicely," Relena replied. "As are her brothers. You  
worry too much," she teased, well aware of the fact that Hilde usually participated quite  
enthusiastically in these brawls.  
  
"You would worry too if Duo was your husband," Hilde responded, purposely raising her  
voice so Duo would hear.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?!" he said, putting on an injured air. Hilde sighed.  
"After 23 years of marriage, you haven't figured out yet that that look of your doesn't  
work?"  
  
"Oh but it does," he said, grinning devilishly and putting an arm around his wife.  
"See?" he said triumphantly, when Hilde subsided, somewhat relunctantly. "Oh, I'll make you  
pay later," she muttered, smiling at the thought. "You get sofa bed tonight."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"One more word, and it's the floor," she threatened smilingly. Duo subsided, pretending  
to be hurt. He knew he would be able to convince his wife otherwise later that evening.  
  
Meanwhile, Quatre was talking to his son. "So, I see you've finally managed to control  
Sandrock?"  
  
"Yeah...finally," he sighed, and glanced at his silent sister. Dorothy followed her  
son's gaze and sighed. "I'll have to talk to her later," she mused.  
  
Clare still hadn't completely come to terms with the fact that her brother and best friend were  
going to be mobile suit pilots. It hadn't helped when she had seen how, earlier that day,  
both were having so much trouble. In fact, after watching for the first few minutes, she  
had turned away and pointedly ignored watching them practice for the rest of the day.  
  
"They aren't supposed to fight..." she thought, viciously stabbing her fork into her  
salad. "This...is...wrong," she muttered, punctuating each word with a jab.  
  
"Hey, you gonna eat that or kill it?"  
  
Clare looked up and saw two blue eyes peering into her own. "Um...haven't decided," she said  
somewhat sheepishly.  
  
Thomas grinned. "Well then, can I have it?"  
  
"Hey! It's MY salad!" she said furiously, her usual temperment coming back.  
  
"Aww...come on! Put it to good use! You obviously aren't going to eat it-"  
  
"Who says I'm not?! In fact, I'm going to start eating it right now!" and she began  
to stuff it into her mouth furiously.  
  
Thomas smiled and settled back, satisfied, his goal accomplished: to get Clare to eat. "She  
hasn't really eaten anything all day," he thought to himself. "At least, now she'll have  
something in her stomach."  
  
At the same time, as she was eating, Clare suddenly realized how she had been manipulated, and  
she narrowed her eyes at Thomas, who was smiling smugly then stopped abruptly when he saw  
Clare's glare. "Er...what did I do?" he asked nervously.  
  
"Twisted my mind around, that's what!"  
  
"Give it a rest, Sis. You usually do the manipulating," Rayan jumped in.  
  
"Keep out of this!"  
  
"Sheesh! Okay okay! Meow," Rayan muttered under his breath. "Aren't we touchy?"  
However, he leaned over to Thomas. "Thanks," he muttered. "There's no way I would have thought  
of that."  
  
Thomas grinned. "Of course not! That's why I'm here. My scheming and insidious brain will  
compensate for your pure and innocent one."  
  
"Har har."  
  
Giselle, who had been watching this exchange, along with Geoffry, exchanged glances with him.  
"Huh, do you think?" she murmured. Geoffry merely smiled. "Oh, of course. I've known for  
a while-"  
  
"NANI?!"  
  
Geoffry smiled smugly, and leaned over to whisper to Giselle. "Thomas himself doesn't even  
know it yet, but he definitely has feelings for her. I can tell."  
  
"How the heck did you find out? Clare hasn't said anything to me..."  
  
"That's the thing. I don't know if Clare has feelings for him."  
  
"Oh...that's not good..." Giselle frowned, but Geoffry brushed it off. "Don't worry,"  
he said airily. "I'm sure, once Thomas finally realizes and admits it to himself that he  
likes her, he'll win her over (though it might take awhile for the idea to sink through his  
thick skull)."  
  
"You'd be surprised...Clare is not easily 'won over...'"  
  
"Yeah, well, Thomas doesn't give up easily."  
  
Giselle pondered that for awhile, then nodded. "You're probably right. They'd make a cute  
couple...provided that we make it out of this alive," she added silently to herself. And  
then, as she glanced at Geoffry, she could tell he was thinking the same.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Writer's block is STILL here...help! The last thing I want is for this to become some  
rambling plot-less fic that puts everyone to sleep...including myself. Comments please! (but  
easy on the flames, okay?^_^) arigato!   
  
Chapter 9  
  
"You like her."  
  
"No I don't."  
  
"Yes you do."  
  
"NO, I don't!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"NO!" Thomas exploded, turning bright red as he glared at his friend. Geoffry was  
calmly leaning against the wall, his bland expression not changing even as his indignant  
friend scattered saliva in his face. Casually fishing out a kleenex, he wiped his face off and  
said, once again, "You like her."  
  
Thomas glared some more, and threw up his hands. "Really, WHAT is up with this?! Aren't we   
fighting a war right now? I'd expect YOU, of all people, to know that war is not a place to  
be attracted to the opposite sex!"  
  
"Is that right?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Well then, look at Riko's parents, your parents, Giselle's parents, Clare's parents, the  
twins' parents, and my parents. Hmm..."  
  
"Shut up," he grumbled, angry at the fact that he knew Geoffry had won that argument,  
and at the fact that his face was flaming. "Do I have feelings for her...?" he wondered.  
  
elsewhere  
  
"What is this, 'confront Clare day?!'" Clare said furiously, glaring at Giselle. Much  
like Geoffry, Giselle was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, a habit she had  
picked up from her father. "I mean, first there's my mom, telling me that Rayan HAS to fight  
in this stupid war, and now there's you, saying that I'd be oh so perfect with Thomas! Really!  
He's a loud, stupid, immature jerk who manipulates people!"  
  
"In other words, he's just like you."  
  
"Nani?! How the heck are we alike in the least bit?"  
  
"Well, would you like me to start with the loud part, the stupid part, the immature  
part, or the manipulating part?"  
  
"Really Giselle! What's up with this sudden matchmaking spiel?! Neither of your  
parents act like this!"  
  
"Well...my mother set up my aunt and uncle, and as for where I get this from, why, I  
get it from you!"  
  
"I don't match make!"  
  
"Hey, who was the one who set me up with Rayan?"  
  
"Grr..."  
  
Giselle laughed, and, with exaggerated movements, took out a piece of paper and a pen. "What  
are you doing?" Clare asked. Giselle smiled and showed her: on it was: Giselle-1; Clare-0.  
Clare turned bright red. "Why you!" she shrieked, and chased a hysterically laughing  
Giselle out of her room.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Okay, that's it! Out, out, out!" Thomas said furiously, shoving a smirking Geoffry  
out of the room. Geoffry laughed. "What, afraid to give in to your feelings?" he taunted.  
  
"ARG!!!" and Thomas chased him out of the room.  
  
in the hallway...  
  
"OW! BAKA, get OFF of me!"  
  
The four teenagers had crashed into each other in the hallway, and were scattered in various  
positions in the hallway...unfortunately for Clare and Thomas, that meant on top of each  
other, and it didn't help that Giselle and Geoffry, who had regained their balance first,  
were laughing so hard tears were coming out of their eyes.  
  
"Just what is-Oh," Riko finished lamely as she stared at the scene in front of her.  
She had been working in her room, planning the next press conference, when she had heard a very  
loud clunk outside, followed by swearing and laughter. Now she was staring at a very  
embarrassed Thomas and Clare, and it didn't help that Clare was the one on bottom. "Er...what  
were you two doing, or do I not want to know?"  
  
"NOTHING!" they both shouted at the same time, franctically trying to dislodge   
themselves without much success, which caused the other two to laugh even harder.  
  
"What the heck is going on?" Rayan demanded, sticking his head into the hallway, then  
staring at his sister and friend. "...Clare?!" he sputtered, then slowly turned to glare at  
Thomas. "Thomas...what are you doing to Clare?" he asked in a low voice that clearly implied  
that he was about to explode.  
  
"It's not what it looks like! Really!" Thomas pleaded. Rayan may have disliked war,  
but that certainly didn't make him a lousy fighter. Though he took after his father more in  
the looks department, he had inherited his mother's glare (minus the eyebrows) and, when he  
was exceedingly angry, his mother's temper and aggressiveness. Thomas did not even want to  
think about what a fight with Rayan would end up like, especially not if his little sister was  
involved.  
  
By this time, a small crowd had congregated in the hallway, and all were staring at the two  
red faced teenagers on the floor. Duo and Hilde sighed, and turned around. "Thomas...  
couldn't you have picked somewhere a little more private?" Duo called over his shoulder  
teasingly as they walked away. However, Quatre and Dorothy had a very different reaction.  
Quatre was turning bright red, and Dorothy was laughing hysterically. "Clare...I*gasp* didn't  
think that*wheeze* you had THAT in you!" she choked out.  
  
"Kaasan...please! It's not what it looks like," Clare pleaded, finally shoving Thomas  
off of her and standing up, straightening her clothes.  
  
Thomas also stood up. "Gomen nasai Rayan," he said sheepishly. "It's just...we kinda crashed  
into each other in the hallway. You can...ask...them," he finished weakly, quailing under  
Rayan's glare.  
  
Giselle, having finally regained her composure, went and stood next to Rayan. "He's telling the  
truth," she said, "though I have a feeling that he were wishing he could have run into Clare  
under different circumstances..."  
  
"Giselle!" Thomas said furiously, turning even redder if that were possible, and   
turned back to Rayan. "Really, I'm really really really really REALLY-"  
  
"I get the point."  
  
Cringing, Thomas studied the blond half-arab in front of him, and breathed an audible sigh of  
relief when he saw the laughter in his eyes.  
  
Rayan, seeing that Thomas had finally figured out that he had been bluffing, also started to  
laugh. "Hahahahaha! You fell for it!" he said gleefully. Thomas stared, aghast. "What...  
the..." he sputtered.  
  
Clare did more than glare. Stomping furiously over to her brother, she smacked him hard on  
the head. "You idiot!" she howled. "How could you?!"  
  
"How could I lead you on, how could I lead him on, or how could I possibly lead on your  
precious Thomas in front of you and embarrass you in the process?" he teased, putting an  
arm around Giselle.  
  
"Precious?!" she choked, but Rayan and Giselle had already turned around and were  
walking down the hall, still laughing. "Great timing, Geoffry!" Giselle called over her  
shoulder. "Let's pull that again sometime!"  
  
Thomas stared at his friend. "Don't tell me...you two did that on purpose..."  
  
Geoffry laughed at his friend's dumbstruck expression. "No, don't worry, we didn't, though it  
worked out very now, ne?" then quickly ran off as Thomas furiously chased him down the hall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Writer's block is still here...help please! =P 


	4. Part Four: Latent Fears Signs of Delinqu...

Chapter 10  
  
"Done."  
  
"Done."  
  
"Done."  
  
"Damn!"  
  
"Whoa! Did I just hear you swear?"  
  
"Shut up Jerry..."  
  
Jerry snickered and leaned back in his chair, smirking as he regarded a red-faced Rayan, who  
was glaring furiously at his computer console. Today, he along with Jerry, Aelis, and Wuten  
were working with Howard and Heero on their hacking skills. Thomas, Giselle, Wuli, and   
Geoffry were outside practicing in their mobile suits. And somehow, today just wasn't Rayan's  
day. Though he had, in the end, managed to hack through the various firewalls, he had still  
been last out of the four...and had been so since this morning.  
  
Wuten raised an eyebrow at the other two. "It could be worse," he remarked dryly. "My cousin  
could be here right now, witnessing you at your finest hour..."  
  
"Grr..." Rayan snarled, and Howard laughed at the antics of the young men. "You've got  
your mother's look, eh, now doesn't he Heero?" he chuckled, noting the striking resemblance at  
that moment between Rayan and his mother.  
  
"Hn," was Heero's response as his fingers flew over the console, setting up yet another  
obstacle. "Alright, next one now," he said, and the four sighed and went back to their   
hacking.  
  
later...  
  
As all their children were eating dinner and exchanging stories, the former pilots and Lady Une  
were reviewing their profiles.  
  
"They've made excellent progress, especially since it's only been three weeks," Lady  
Une said quietly, quickly going through all the papers. "Jerry and Thomas are the quickest  
hackers; Giselle will make a fine spy, as will Aelis; Rayan's and Geoffry's versatility on and   
off the battlefield will be a great asset; Wuten and Wuli are amazingly skilled in piloting their  
mobile suits...They will make a very well-rounded team..." she finished, somewhat uncertainly,  
carefully observing the faces of the five pilots.  
  
Heero was stoic as usual; the fact that his one and only child would not fight also added to his  
outer facade of indifference; Duo and Quatre looked resigned; Trowa was expressionless; and  
Wufei looked grim. Finally, Quatre spoke.  
  
"It still seems unreal, how we are manipulating our childrens' lives right now..."  
  
Wufei let out a harsh laugh. "Believe it, Quatre," he said bitterly. "And we still don't even  
know if they have what it takes. Just having the skills isn't enough."  
  
"All of them...they've only known a life in an era of peace," Trowa mused, more to  
himself but still addressing the entire group. "I wonder..."  
  
"There is no point thinking about that," Heero stated flatly. "None of us will know how  
they will react until they are finally able to experience the battlefield for themselves. Until  
then, there is no point in second guessing."  
  
Duo's lips twitched up. "You just gotta love how you always put things, Heero," he joked  
weakly, an illusion of the laughing prankster he once was.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"So, ya think we all got good grades?" Jerry asked as he wolfed down his food. Aelis  
rolled her eyes. "It's called chewing, swallowing, THEN opening your big mouth to talk," she  
said sarcastically. "Is it really so hard?"  
  
"Geez! What did I ever do to you?!"  
  
"You were born, and tragically, without any manners."  
  
"Oh very funny."  
  
"So just what do you mean, grades?" Riko rushed in, trying to avoid yet another Jerry  
versus Aelis confrontation.  
  
It worked. Bursting with pride, Jerry fished out an electronic device. "This taps into the  
main room," he said smugly, and turned it on to listen.  
  
A loud screech blasted his eardrums, and everyone fell over at the noise. Heero's voice  
floated over. "Nice try, Jerry," he said dryly, and then broke the connection.  
  
Groaning, Giselle made her way over to the dropped microphone. When she saw it, she sighed.  
"Idiot!" she scolded. "This design's ancient! My mother made it before she even hit ten  
years old!"  
  
"Whoops," he said weakly, trying to ignore the ringing in his eardrums.  
  
"Whoops?!" Wuten snarled, holding his head. "Is 'whoops' the best you can do?! You  
nearly blasted out all of our eardrums, you baka!!! Where the heck did you find the design  
for this thing anyway?!"  
  
"Er...off of Aunt Reiming's computer?"  
  
"ARG!!!"  
  
"So...I'm guessing that BEFORE that last disastrous attempt on listening in, you  
eavesdropped and found out that they were discussing our progress or something?" Thomas  
managed, holding his head.  
  
"Yeah. I didn't hear too much-"  
  
"-because you were busy stuffing your face," Aelis interjected.  
  
"-because I was NOT busy stuffing my face!"  
  
"Right..."  
  
"Forget that! Just what DID you hear?" Wuli cut in impatietly, his ears aching.  
  
Jerry shrugged. "Something like, Thomas and I being good hackers, Giselle and Aelis being  
good spies, Rayan and Geoffry being flexible, and Wuten and Wuli being good at MS piloting, I  
guess," he finished, purposely leaving out the depressing exchange their father's had had  
right after that. "No need for them to know..." he thought to himself as he continued to eat.  
"It's going to be hard enough for us as it is..."  
  
that evening...  
  
"Clare?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You okay there?"  
  
Clare sighed and turned towards the voice, in this case, a lump on the floor. "I dunno...you  
know how I feel about this," she said softly.  
  
Giselle frowned in the darkness. Though all of them had their own rooms, occasionally, they  
slept over in each others. Tonight was one of those nights.  
  
"You two still up?" and the door opened. Giselle winced as light entered the room,  
illuminating four more figures: Riko, Eva, Reena, and Aelis. "Sorry we're late," Riko said,  
carefully closing the door.  
  
"Nah, we just turned out the light a little early. I was kinda tired after a day's  
hard work, so since I was the first one here, we just retired a little early," Giselle explained,  
then groaned as Clare turned on the light. "Stupid freaking bright light..." she muttered,  
sticking her head under the covers.  
  
Clare laughed at her friend's discomfort. "Come on Giselle! You knew there was NO WAY I was  
going to sleep THIS early; I only turned off the light for your sake. I mean, it's only 9:30!"  
  
"Grr..." said the mound under the covers. Grinning, Reena and Eva carefully stalked  
over, then ripped off the blanket. "Ack!" Giselle yelped as the others laughed hysterically.  
"Ooh that was NOT funny," and she started chasing them around the room, beating them on the  
head with her pillow.  
  
"Hey stop it! Stop it!" Clare giggled, then said, "If there are feathers all over my  
room, then YOU clean it up!"  
  
That stopped the pillow fight.  
  
"Thank you-Hey!!!" as the other five girls all took their pillows and flung them at her.  
  
Many pillow fights and giggling fits later, the six girls all were sprawled in various poses  
around the room. "That was fun!" Eva gasped happily. Being the youngest in the group, she was  
always thrilled when the older girls included her in their fun, which was often. Eva was a  
very likable child, and the other five girls treated her as a little sister and friend.  
  
"Yeah..." Aelis agreed, somewhat breathlessly, then allowed Eva to snuggle against her.  
Soon, the little girl was fast asleep.  
  
As soon as she was, the mood changed. Regarding the others seriously, Clare said, "Okay, I know  
this is really stupid and dumb, but part of the reason I invited you guys all over tonight was  
'cause I need to get something off my chest. I...I just..."  
  
"I know how you feel, Clare," Riko said gently. "It's this war thing, isn't it?"  
  
"Well yeah," Clare blurted. "Sorry, but...I just HATE it!"  
  
"You have nothing to apologize for," Giselle said flatly. "It's not your fault, it's  
that stupid Neo-Romefeller's fault."  
  
"But WHY did they have to come back?!" Clare said furiously, feeling as if she were  
about to explode in anger. "Why did they have to come and ruin our lives?! Look at what they  
DID to you Giselle! And look at you Reena! Heck, you could lose your boyfriend any day now,  
just like I could lose my brother!"  
  
"Fiancee..." Reena said softly.  
  
That got everybody's attention.  
  
"Excuse...excuse me?" Riko choked. "What did you just say?"  
  
"I said, fiancee. Jerry's my fiancee," she said quietly. "We...we didn't tell anyone,  
because we felt the timing wasn't right. I didn't want him to seem like he wasn't caring about  
this war, because he does. He...really cares about this war; you should see him...he gets so  
angry! He wants to fight for peace so badly. He's needed..." and a tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
Aelis stared at her twin, then said quietly, "You...you need him, too..."  
  
"Aelis..."  
  
"Reena, no matter what I say, no matter what I claim to think, Jerry will always be  
acceptable to me in my eyes, not that it should really matter what I think anyway. I've seen  
how he looks at you...He loves you, Reena."  
  
"Aelis-chan...arigatou..."  
  
After an uncomfortable minute, Giselle cleared her throat. "So...when did he, ah, propose?"  
  
"That evening, after your first round of training. He told Lady Une that he and I were  
staying behind for a few minutes because he wanted to show off his gundam to me. But instead,  
well, you know, he proposed..." she finished hesitantly.  
  
"Reena, what's the matter?" Clare asked.  
  
"I don't know if I should be happy or not," she rushed. "I mean, when he gave me the  
ring and everything, I was so happy! But then, I realized that...we're in a WAR here! He...  
CAN'T go around proposing! But I want so badly to be his wife, but at the same time, I know  
that I should have turned him down! I'll just distract him..."  
  
"I hate to sound so cold, but what's done is done. If Jerry loves you, then he loves  
you. Nothing will change that. Regardless of whether he proposed to you or not, you would  
still always be on his mind. It's up to him to see whether or not that'll distract him,"  
Giselle stated matter of factly.  
  
"I guess so...You guys aren't mad, right? I know...that I've been spoiled all my  
life..."  
  
"If it's spoiled you want, Clare beats us all..."  
  
"And what is THAT supposed to mean, Giselle?!"  
  
"OW! Take that!"  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
"Now now ladies, stop the pillow throwing. You'll wake Eva," Riko cajoled.  
  
"Fine fine..."  
  
"But Reena, one thing: If he marries you, at least teach him some manners...PLEASE?"  
  
"Hehehehehe...I think it's rather CHARMING how he is right now, Aelis."  
  
"Oh please..." and Aelis groaned as the others laughed. Burrowing under the covers, she  
yawned and said, "Well, I'm going to follow Eva's lead and go to sleep. I'm exhausted."  
  
"Exhausted? You weren't the one who spent all day in a mobile suit! All YOU had to do  
was type away at some computer!" Giselle teased.  
  
"Type away?! Excuse me, it takes BRAINS to hack through the firewalls Heero-sama puts  
up! Type away at some computer indeed! Humph..."  
  
"And we all know that Giselle is lacking in the brains department-Hey!"  
  
"Haha! That's what you get for that little comment of yours Clare!"  
  
"Please! Let's just all try and go to sleep," Riko begged, then shot a look at Reena.  
"Help me here."  
  
Reena giggled. "You're just like your mother," she teased, but went over and stole both Clare's  
and Giselle's pillows. "Hey!" they said furiously.  
  
"Uh-uh. You two don't get these back until you promise that you'll stop beating up on  
each other."  
  
"Okay okay...Sheesh! Just when were you so goody-goody?" Giselle sulked.  
  
Aelis grinned. "She's going to be a mother someday, isn't she? She needs all the practice she  
can get, especially since it's Reena we're talking about here, along with her incompetent   
fian-OW! Hey, no fair! You've got THREE pillows, and two of them aren't even yours!"  
  
*Sigh* "Well, I'M going to sleep, even if no one else is. Good night," Riko yawned,  
and rolled over to go to sleep. The others decided to go to sleep also. Finally, only Clare  
and Giselle were up.  
  
"Giselle?"  
  
*Yawn* "Mmm...what?"  
  
"I wonder what the guys are doing right now..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hmm...not much on plot development, but at least I got lots of character development in. =P I   
still need all the help I can get though! I'm (slowly) getting around writer's block, but  
all comments are still appreciated! Arigatou!  
  
Chapter 11  
  
The boys were, in fact, having a small get together of their own. At about the same time as  
Giselle sacked out on the floor of Clare's room, Jerry and Rayan wandered down to one of the  
rooms where Thomas and Geoffry were engaged in a serious pool game; Wuten was meditating, and  
Wuli was alternating between watching the game and the TV.  
  
Wuli waved the other two down. "About time. You two are late."  
  
Jerry grinned. "Well then, if you four don't want the FOOD we brought..."  
  
"Ignore him, Jerry," Wuten said hurridly, snapping out of his trance and giving his  
brother a pointed look. Wuli smiled and shrugged, then went forward to relieve the other two  
of their burden.  
  
As Wuli took some of Rayan's things, Rayan sighed with relief. Wuli raised an eyebrow at his  
friend. "Too delicate for these things, Mr. Winner?" he snickered.  
  
"Carrying several six packs is hard on ANYONE," he retorted.  
  
At this, Wuten frowned. "Six packs?"  
  
Jerry grinned. "Yeah, why not? We deserve a break."  
  
Geoffry rolled his eyes. "Jerry, there is a small thing called a legal drinking age."  
  
"Aw, come on! You're not so far off! What are you, sixteen? Seventeen?"  
  
"Try fourteen, you imbecile."  
  
"Oh heck, it's only, um, seven years off..."  
  
"I think I'll pass."  
  
"Fine fine..."  
  
"I hate to say this Jerry, but with the exception of you, we're ALL under the legal  
drinking age," Rayan pointed out.  
  
Thomas smirked. "You're just like your dad! My Tousan told me some story once on how he once  
suggested that they celebrate with some champagne after a battle, but YOUR dad insisted on it  
being non-alcoholic."  
  
"Hey I didn't say that I didn't plan on drinking any!" he said defensively.  
  
"Oho! Looky here! Mr. I'm-so-innocent-Winner is going drink?"  
  
"Well...maybe..."  
  
"Rayan, my cousin will kill you if you have bad breath tomorrow," Wuten snickered.  
  
"Aw, come on! Let's try not to think about the girls right now," Jerry said jovially,  
opening a can of beer. "Come on, cheers!"  
  
Geoffry rolled his eyes in disgust as the four other boys all helped themselves to a can a beer,  
then laughed as Rayan grimaced. "Not an experienced drinker, now are you?"  
  
"Just because I happen to prefer wine doesn't mean that-"  
  
"Sure...typical spoiled kid," Geoffry teased, then asked, "So now what? Do you all plan  
on drinking yourselves silly?"  
  
"Sure! But of course, we gotta have some fun in the process! How about a drinking  
game?" Jerry said eagerly; however, all the others immediately vetoed the idea. "Forget it,"  
Wuten and Wuli said flatly. "I would like to live to see my first real battle, but that's not  
going to happen if I get caught by my parents, especially my mother..." Wuten added dryly.  
"My parents, sister, and Giselle would all kill me," was Rayan's meek reply, and "Have you  
already forgotten that little incident a few years back already?! Mom AND Dad nearly killed us!"  
said Thomas. Jerry sighed disappointedly.  
  
After an hour or so spent eating and relaxing, Geoffry spoke up. "Exactly what did you two do  
a few years ago?"  
  
"Oh...THAT. Er..." Thomas stuttered, turning red. Jerry, however, did not share his  
hesitation. "Ah yes, that. Well, our parents were out one evening, so we thought, hey, why  
don't we invite a few of our friends over for a little party?"  
  
"Little? Jerry, the years have proved that your definition of 'little' is definitely  
skewed."  
  
"Hear hear!" Wuli chortled, while Wuten sighed. "Don't tell me you're drunk already..."  
he groaned.  
  
"Yeah well, it was few months from my 21st birthday, so I figured that if there was  
alcohol there, it wouldn't be a problem; I'd have to get used to it anyway. So basically, we  
partied until we were so drunk that we didn't know what time it was, and the next thing we  
knew, we heard my dad bellow, 'JERICHO MAXWELL!!! THOMAS MAXWELL!!! OUT HERE NOW!!!!!' And lo  
and behold, there were BOTH our parents, way beyond pissed off, and in Taurus mobile suits!   
They practically chased away all the party goers! And of course, they weren't exactly...  
happy...with us...hey, it's not THAT funny!" he finished indignantly as he watched the other  
four boys except for his brother roll on the floor laughing helplessly.  
  
"Taurus...mobile...suits...!" Rayan gasped, then collapsed, laughing hysterically.  
  
After five minutes of solid laughter, the four slightly drunk young men got to there feet  
unsteadily, partly due to the laughter and partly due to the alcohol, and Thomas suggested,   
"Why don't we play a game of poker?"  
  
"You're on," Wuli said, swaying a little. Wuten groaned. "He doesn't have a very high  
tolerance for alcohol..." he explained.  
  
"Wha? My tolerance...ish perfectly fine..." Wuli slurred.  
  
Wuten rolled his eyes. "Excuse us," he said, then grabbed his brother's collar and yanked him  
to the restroom. "Our mother will kill us if either one of us looks hung over tomorrow," he  
called over his shoulder and then closed the bathroom door.  
  
Outside, the other four stared at each other. "Now what?" Jerry wondered.  
  
"Oh you'll see," Rayan snickered. Ever since they were fifteen or so, they had been  
sneaking little sips of alcohol from time to time, though none of them ever particularly  
developed a taste for it. As a result, this wasn't the first time that Rayan had seen Wuli's  
lack of tolerance.  
  
Suddenly...  
  
"WHAT?! Mmph mmph gurgle gack cough cough! ARG!!! Gurgle gurgle...OKAY! I'm okay   
now...Stoppit! Mmph!"  
  
Suddenly, the door to the bathroom flew open and out stormed Wuli, who was soaking wet. Wuten  
followed his twin, laughing his head off, as were the others. Glaring at them sullenly, Wuli  
snarled, "Oh ha ha, very funny. Feel free to stop laughing any day now!"  
  
"Did you...did you...stick his head in *gasp* shower or something?! *wheeze*" Thomas  
choked out, clutching his sides.  
  
"Toilet bowl first, then shower," Wuten managed, still laughing.  
  
Geoffry, who had recovered first, asked Rayan, "Not the first time, I take it?"  
  
"Oh no. Definitely not."  
  
"WHAT the HECK are you guys doing?!"  
  
All activity stopped. Fearfully, like little boys who had just been caught doing something  
wrong (which was what had happened), all six turned towards the voice.  
  
Standing in the doorway were two shocked girls: Giselle and Clare. Giselle was the one who had  
asked the question; Clare's mouth was hanging open in shock. No one said anything for a   
moment. Finally, Jerry sheepishly raised a hand. "Want a beer?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Please don't flame me for this chapter! I personally do NOT advocate underage drinking, so don't  
fill my mailbox with threats! Thanks!  
  
Chapter 12  
  
After the other four girls had fallen asleep, both Clare and Giselle had become restless.  
Though Giselle had originally been exhausted, Reena's unexpected announcement had banished all  
hopes for an easy sleep. This was the same for Clare, though she hadn't been tired originally.  
Not wanting to wake up their friends, the two had silently left the room to see what the others  
were doing.  
  
As they were passing the door that led down to one of the lower floors that had been  
converted to a sort of lounge/rec room, they had heard uproarious laughter, and being curious,  
had opened the door and gone down the stairs. Now, they were staring at six extremely  
embarrassed and slightly drunk young men (plus one wet one). Finally, Jerry broke the silence.  
  
"Want a beer?"  
  
Clare was still too shocked to say anything; Giselle finally managed to choke out: "Uh..."  
  
Next to her, Clare was slowly starting to take in her surroundings. Finally, Jerry's words  
sunk in. "...Beer?"  
  
"Um, yeah..."  
  
"I don't believe this," Giselle muttered, first staring at her red faced boyfriend then  
her sober (and wet) cousin and then the slightly drunk but equally embarassed cousin. "Are you  
really Rayan, Wuten, and Wuli? Or are you their evil twins?"  
  
Clare was doing the same. She slowly stared down everyone in the room, her gaze lingering on  
Thomas, who squirmed under her gaze. "Oh great..." he thought.  
  
The only person in the room who was enjoying himself was Geoffry. He had been the only one who  
had not succumbed to the urge to drink, and now he was enjoying every minute of it. "Busted,"  
he whispered gleefully. "Shut up," the other five muttered, glaring daggers at him.  
  
Finally though, both Giselle and Clare realized just exactly what they had done, and Giselle's  
mouth twitched up into an evil grin. "Soo...care to tell us what you guys were doing?" she  
asked sweetly.  
  
Clare was doing the same. Smiling gleefully at her brother, she said, "So Brother, just how are  
you going to pay me to keep my mouth shut?"  
  
Rayan's originally flaming face paled several shades. He had been blackmailed by his sister  
before, and it was not a pleasant experience. "Er, hehe," he said weakly. "Surely, dear  
sister, you don't mean you're going to blackmail me?"  
  
Clare only raised an eyebrow. Rayan groaned.  
  
Giselle walked over to Wuten, who was staring furiously at the floor. Tapping his nose, she  
said smugly, "My my Wuten. Bad boy. You accuse ME of being flirtatious etc etc, and what do  
we know: you get caught drinking. Tsk tsk."  
  
Then she walked over to the soaked Wuli. "And YOU. Really Wuli, what WOULD your mother say if  
she saw you now?"  
  
"Hey I usually stand up for you," he muttered.  
  
Giselle seemed to contemplate this. "True," she mused, then smiled and pat her cousin on the  
head. "Very well then, I'll let you off...this time."  
  
Finally, she reached Rayan. Neither said anything for a moment, then Giselle said  
pleasantly, "Your breath smells."  
  
"Um, gomen nasai, Giselle," he said meekly. Giselle didn't buy it. Leaning close to  
him, she seemed to be about to kiss him, but then she wrinkled her nose and said, "You're not  
getting anything from me if you keep on smelling like that."  
  
"Your father still kissed your mother even after she had been on a coffee diet for  
three days!" he said indignantly, but immediately subsided when Giselle gave him a look.   
"Coffee and beer are two completely different things," she said smoothly, then turned and  
walked back to Clare. Smirking, the two started to go back up the stairs. "You guys have until  
tomorrow to figure out how to keep us from talking," Clare called. "Sweet dreams-EEP!"  
  
Giselle also let out a shriek as she saw two eyes glittering in the darkness in front of her,  
but then she breathed a sigh of relief as the person materialized. "Heero-sama, you startled  
us."  
  
"HEERO-SAMA?!" the guys sputtered, turning even paler. "Okay, NOW, we are screwed,"  
Thomas groaned.  
  
"Look on the bright side," Rayan said weakly. "Now they can't blackmail us."  
  
"Oh well THAT'S just great!"  
  
"What's going on down here?" and Duo came down. He was followed by Trowa, Quatre,   
Wufei, and Zechs. All of them stared for a moment, and immediately, the stares turned into  
angry glares. "Jerry..." Duo growled. "Did you start this little drinking binge here?"  
  
"It's not a binge," he said meekly, "and I AM old enough to drink..." he finished  
weakly, his voice cracking under his father's glare.  
  
Meanwhile, Heero, Trowa, and Zechs cast a somewhat amused glance around. Zechs turned around.  
"Well, since I don't think I need to be involved in this little spat, I'll be heading to bed.  
Geoffry...I think if it's best if you do the same."  
  
"Hai, Tousan."  
  
Heero and Trowa also turned to leave. Trowa cast one eye at his daughter. "I wasn't involved,"  
she said immediately. Trowa smiled wryly. "I didn't think so," and he and Trowa left.   
Geoffry quickly walked across the room to join Giselle and Clare, and the three of them  
walked up the stairs, where the three men who had gone up before them were waiting. Giselle  
shut the door, and turned and said, "Heero-sama, why did you go down there?"  
  
Heero's mouth twitched. "You two forgot to close the door."  
  
"Oh...whoops."  
  
"What's going on?" and a sleepy looking Reena and Eva appeared.  
  
Clare, Geoffry, and Giselle glanced at each other. "What are you two doing up?" Clare asked.  
  
"Midnight snack."  
  
"Weell...let's just say that Reena, you may not have a fiancee tomorrow, and Eva, you  
may not have your brothers tomorrow, and oh fuck..." Clare trailed off as she realized what she  
had just said.  
  
It was too late. As soon as he heard the word "fiancee," Zechs' head had immediately  
swiveled around to stare at Clare, then at a horrified Reena, then he immediately stormed back  
down the stairs. "JERRY!" they could all hear him bellow.  
  
Geoffry was staring also, as was Eva. "Since when were you engaged?!" he sputtered.  
  
Reena burst into tears. "Clare, how could you?!" she sobbed furiously. "I'm sorry Reena, I'm  
so sorry!" Clare said miserably, on the verge of tears herself.  
  
*Yawn* "What's going on? It's midnight..." and a sleepy looking Dorothy came out,  
followed by Relena and Meilai. "Reena, what's the matter?" Relena said, concerned.  
  
"Everything!"  
  
"She and Jerry are engaged," Geoffry stated.  
  
Relena blinked, surprised. When her voice came back, she said, "Reena, that's wonderful! Why  
are you upset?"  
  
Reena stopped in mid-sob. "It...it is?" she questioned.  
  
"Of course!" Dorothy exclaimed. "So now, why are you crying?"  
  
"I thought you'd all be mad!"  
  
"No no, of course not. Isn't that right, Heero?" Relena said, with a pointed look.  
  
"Hn," was the only response. Relena sighed. Heero would never change.  
  
"So...what IS going on?" Meilai asked. "Why is there so much going on right now?"  
  
The others, minus Relena, stared at each other. "You explain," Giselle muttered to Geoffry.  
  
"Oh no. Why don't you?"  
  
"Me? How about you Clare?"  
  
"Um...I think Heero-sama would do better, or even Trowa-sama!"  
  
"Keep us out of this," Trowa said ruefully, smiling at the girl he had come to think of  
as his second daughter, just as Quatre and Dorothy treated Giselle as their daughter also.   
  
"Same here," Heero said gruffly. "This is none of our business."  
  
Finally, Giselle sighed. "FINE. I guess I'm stuck," and she began to explain. As soon as she  
mentioned Rayan's name, Dorothy's eyes flashed. "Well then, is that right?" she muttered, and  
stormed down the stairs. "Dorothy..." Relena called pleadingly, but then Clare said, "Please,  
Aunt Relena. You know that when Mother has that look, nothing is going to stop her."  
  
"I suppose you are right..."  
  
The same thing occured with Meilai. She had kept an amused expression on her face the entire  
time, but as soon as her sons' names were mentioned, her face became a thundercload. "Drinking,  
now are they?" she growled. "Well then..." and she too stormed down the stairs, but she did  
come back and thankfully close the door behind her, which Dorothy, in her rage, had forgotten to  
do.  
  
Then Clare turned to Reena. "Reena, I'm really sorry," she said dully. But Reena's anger had  
passed. Smiling at the remorseful girl, she said, "It's okay. I'm not mad at you  
anymore," and the two smiled.  
  
Eva meanwhile was staring with wide eyes. "I remember that," she said in a hushed voice. "I  
had never ever seen Mommy or Daddy so mad before!"  
  
"Well then, that's going to be nothing compared to what is going to happen now," Clare  
muttered, staring at the now thankfully closed door. "I almost feel sorry for them..."  
  
"Sorry for Thomas, you mean," Giselle muttered, but quietly enough that no one but Clare  
heard her. "Ha ha Giselle," she shot back.  
  
"Hey why is everyone up?" and Riko and Aelis entered the room. Everyone sighed, and  
Giselle took Riko's arm while Clare took Aelis'. "It's a looong story..." Clare sighed, and  
started to guide them back to her room, Reena and Eva in tow. "We'll explain once we get back,"  
and they all left.  
  
Back by the door, Relena, Heero, and Trowa exchanged glances. "I think...that I will getting  
back to bed now," Trowa said, and quickly made his exit. Geoffry nodded. "Good night," he  
said to his aunt and uncle, and he too left. Finally, Relena and Heero were the only ones left.  
Glancing back at the door, Relena said wryly, "THIS is our hope for our future?"  
  
Heero sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This is what I was afraid of..."  
  
"Them drinking?" Relena asked, confused.  
  
Heero shook his head. "No, not that. Though it's obviously illegal for the majority of them to  
drink, the reality is that many teenagers DO drink. It's not too surprising, though it is  
disappointing, that they do also. Unfortunately, they CAN'T BE normal teenagers anymore. But  
they just don't realize that..."  
  
And on that bleak note, Heero and Relena went back to bed. 


	5. Part Five: Shaken Faith The First Missio...

Chapter 13  
  
"What was that all about?"  
  
Reiming stood in the doorway of the room she and Trowa shared. Trowa smiled thinly and   
guided her back into the room, where he was greeted by Hilde, who looked worried. "I heard  
some of that," she said, after greeting Trowa, "but I didn't say anything because I didn't  
want to make it worse than it already seemed to be. What was that?"  
  
Trowa sighed. "You may want to hear for yourself," he said wearily. "Go down into the lounge."  
  
After Hilde left, Reiming demanded, "So, what was going on?"  
  
"The boys were drinking."  
  
"NANI?! They ought to know better!"  
  
"Shh shh. It's already being taken care of."  
  
"Were the girls-"  
  
"No, they weren't involved. In fact, Geoffry didn't drink. He was the only one."  
  
"How bad was it?"  
  
"Not so bad. They didn't seem too drunk; however, everyone, Duo in particular, is very  
upset."  
  
"They should be! Don't they know that they have a greater responsibility now?"  
  
"Heero and I had a talk about this...and we don't think that they know that..."  
  
Reiming shook her head slowly. "When...will they realize that...?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"Excuse me?" and Noin stood in the doorway, looking worried. "Where is everyone?"  
  
Reiming and Trowa looked at each wearily. "Lounge," they said simultaneously.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"You're kidding!"  
  
Riko stared at Clare, who had just finished telling her what had happened. "Oh wow, they're  
busted..."  
  
"Ya think? I've never seen so many pissed off parents in my life!" Clare muttered.  
"You should have seen my parents. They were seeing red; I won't be surprised if I wake up  
tomorrow and find out that I'm an only child."  
  
"But at least Geoffry stayed out of it," Reena said.  
  
Aelis snorted. "He should have. He would have had two angry parents plus two angry older  
sisters to deal with." Then she frowned. "So...now everyone knows about you two?"  
  
Reena shrugged helplessly. "I guess...Relena-sama, Dorothy-sama, and Meilai-sama didn't seem  
upset at all, but Tousan..."  
  
"Went on a rampage?"  
  
Reena nodded miserably. "I hope Jerry's okay..."  
  
downstairs...  
  
"WHOAH! Back Zechs! Killing him isn't going to help...at least, wait until I'm done  
with him!" Duo shouted as he and Wufei struggled to restrain a steaming Zechs, who had his  
sights set on Jerry's throat.  
  
Jerry in the meantime was hiding behind the other four boys, petrified. Zechs had always been  
an imposing figure, but now, after he had been caught getting the other (underage) guys  
alcohol, he clearly wasn't high on Zechs' list of favorite people.   
  
Rayan glanced back at Jerry, who was literally cowering behind him. "He's toast..." he thought  
grimly. "Then again, so are we..."  
  
Zechs however was not dissuaded. Glaring at Jerry with smoldering eyes, he snarled, "Okay  
boy, when did this happen?! Huh?! Since WHEN have you had my permission to propose to my  
daughter?!"  
  
"Propose?!" Duo sputtered, shocked, momentarily losing his grip on Zechs' arm.  
Fortunately, Quatre jumped in to help.  
  
Zechs was still railing at the young man. "If you think I'm going to let you marry my daughter,  
you're mistaken, you low drunken-"  
  
"Zechs!" and Noin stood in the doorway, along with Hilde.  
  
At the sound of his wife's voice, Zechs subsided, but he still glared at Jerry. "You...Stay  
away from my daughter," he growled, then shook off the arms of Duo, Wufei, and Quatre.  
  
"What is going on down here?" a new voice said, and peeking over the shoulders of his  
friends, Jerry groaned and sank back down. "Kaasan..."  
  
Thomas also peeked at his mother. "Uh oh..."   
  
twenty minutes later...  
  
"...can't BELIEVE how incredibly STUPID..." (Duo)  
  
"...have you forgotten EVERYTHING we've taught you?!" (Hilde)  
  
"...NO honor WHATsoever..." (Wufei)  
  
"...so ashamed of you..." (Quatre)  
  
"...give me ONE good reason NOT to kill you..." (Dorothy)  
  
"...you've shamed us all..." (Meilai)  
  
"...I'm going to kill you!" (Zechs)  
  
"ZECHS!" (Noin)  
  
"Sorry Noin..." (Zechs)  
  
(another) twenty minutes later...  
  
"IDIOT! STUPID BLIND IDIOT!" (Wufei)  
  
"...What your Jiisan said..." (Quatre)  
  
"Quatre, you'll have to do better than THAT..." (Dorothy)  
  
"Oh...right," (Quatre)  
  
"...irresponsible fool..." (Dorothy)  
  
"...and I thought your FATHER was dumb..." (Hilde)  
  
"Very funny..." (Duo)  
  
"...WHEN will you GROW UP?!" (Meilai)  
  
"...that's the last you'll ever see of your allowance!" (Quatre)  
  
*Sweat drop* (Dorothy)  
  
"...I don't believe this, this...STUPIDITY!" (Duo)  
  
"...and stay away from my daughter!" (Zechs)  
  
"ZECHS!" (Noin)  
  
"Sorry sorry..." (Zechs)  
  
Finally, many screaming fits and lengthy lectures later, all five boys were staring at the  
floor, their faces bright red. Fortunately for them, an hour of yelling and lecturing and  
ranting and raving was tough for even their parents, and the majority were starting to wind up.  
Well, almost...  
  
"...do you want to be disowned?!" (Wufei)  
  
"Wufei, don't joke around with that..." (Meilai)  
  
"Oh, right," (Wufei)  
  
"...SHOCKED by your crude behavior..." (Dorothy)  
  
"...stupid boys..." (Duo)  
  
"Are you done?" (Zechs)  
  
"Huh?" (Duo)  
  
"Are you done yet?" (Zechs)  
  
"Why?" (Duo)  
  
"So I know when I can kill him," (Zechs)  
  
"ZECHS MERQUISE!!!" (Noin)  
  
*Sigh...* (Zechs)  
  
And so after another hour, the boys were sent upstairs, completely humiliated and followed by  
wisps of conversation such as:  
  
"...when Lady Une hears this..."  
  
"...better work hard to regain OUR trust..."  
  
"...you guys are SCREWED-"  
  
"Duo!"  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
ten minutes later...  
  
"Ugh...Man, I've got a killer headache..." Jerry groaned, collapsing on his bed.  
  
"Yeah...no kidding," Rayan muttered, splashing water on his face. "Geez, how long were  
they at it?"  
  
Thomas sighed and glanced at his watch. "Two...whole...hours..."  
  
"We were lucky...Last time, we got a four hour lecture for a week," Wuten muttered.  
  
"What the heck did you guys do?!" Thomas asked wearily.  
  
"Stole some mobile suits and went out for a ride," Wuli admitted.  
  
The other boys stared. "Learn something new about you guys everyday..." Jerry muttered, his  
eyes closed and one arm flung over his face.  
  
"Speaking of learning something new..." Rayan started, and all the others asked  
simultaneously, "Since WHEN were you ENGAGED to REENA?!"  
  
"Yeah, you didn't even tell me! And I know how hard it is for you to keep your mouth  
shut..." Thomas wondered.  
  
"You guys...I don't need this tonight..."  
  
"May as well get it over with," Wuten said logically.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, to start, Zechs Jiisan will make your life hell from now on..." Wuli started.  
  
"...our sisters will pester you for details..." Rayan continued.  
  
"...our parents certainly aren't going to forgive us anytime soon..." Thomas threw in.  
  
"...and besides, we're all nosy people," someone finished.  
  
"Geoffry?"  
  
The youngest teenager smiled thinly. "Can I come in?"  
  
"Yeah, why not?" Rayan said wearily, waving to him. "We're all too thrashed to say  
otherwise."  
  
Smirking, the long-haired boy entered the room and shut the door. "I would say I told you so,  
but I don't think you'd appreciate that."  
  
Thomas glared at him. "If it weren't for the fact I'm too beat to get up, I'd kill you..." he  
growled.  
  
"So, back to the engagement..." Wuli urged.  
  
Jerry sighed half-heartedly. "I dunno..." he said tiredly. "I guess I kinda decided that I  
just loved her so much that I wanted to marry her, so that's what I did. I went and got the  
ring one day, and then proposed to her the first evening we arrived here."  
  
Wuten stared. "But...I would understand if we hadn't known about Operation: Firestorm and you  
had proposed then, but WHY now? Don't you realize we could all die? Do you want to weigh  
down Reena with a committment like that?"  
  
Jerry smiled bitterly. "Of course I knew. Afterwards, I felt stupid and selfish that I   
wished she had just turned me down. But I couldn't back out of it-"  
  
"Wait a minute. Do you love my sister or not?" Geoffry demanded, his eyes narrowed.  
  
"Of course I do! But I don't know if I did the right thing..."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Finally, Thomas stretched and yawned. "Well, hate to say this guys," he said, "but our lives  
just got a heck lot more complicated. Congratulation, minna-san, our lives as we know it are  
over."  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Hear that?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Wufei sighed and discreetly started walking down the hallway, where he had been listening in to  
the conversation inside. "They finally got the big picture," he muttered.  
  
Walking next to him, Duo nodded. "About time," he said grimly. "About time..."   
  
Chapter 14  
  
"Zzzz-OOF! Wha-hey, what's your problem?"  
  
It was seven in the morning, and Riko had just been rudely yanked out of her pleasant dream  
and back into reality, thanks to a mountain of pillows that had been flung in her direction.  
Rubbing her head, she sat up and glared at a snickering Clare, who had been in charge of her  
rude awakening.  
  
"Shh! The guy's are being roasted right now by Lady Une! Wanna listen?"  
  
"Huh? How would you know?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.  
  
Grinning, Clare gestured to a corner of the room, where the other girls were huddled. The two  
of them walked over, and, craning her neck, Riko saw a small screen in Eva's lap. "What's  
that?"  
  
Sheepishly, Eva looked up. "Don't tell anyone that I've got this, please Riko?" she begged,  
training both big blue eyes at her. Riko sighed. "You're more devious than you look, you  
know that? Not only do you have that killer puppy dog look, but I'm guessing that you either  
pilfered that from your parents' supply of various spy gadgets, or you made it."  
  
"She made it," Giselle confirmed, turning back to look at Riko and shaking her head.  
"The girl is a mechanical genius...How long did it take you again?"  
  
"Two weeks," she said proudly. "I bought all the supplies at different places with my  
own money, and then snuck out of bed at night and into my private workshop to make it. But it's  
pretty cool, huh?"  
  
"More than cool," Riko smiled, then leaned in closer.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"I'm sure your respective parents have already expressed their...disappointment in you,  
but I really must let you know how disappointed I am in you. In fact, I am more than  
disappointed. I am angry that you were caught breaking a law, no matter how minor the law was,  
and I am frustrated that you don't seem to comprehend the MAGNITUDE of the situation! Really,  
has it not OCCURED to you that you five, along with the other three pilots, are literally our  
only hope?! And yet, you still think that you can act so IRRESPONSIBLY? Come on now, tell me  
what you think."  
  
Silence.  
  
Lady Une raised an eyebrow. When a grumpy Duo had knocked on her office door at 6:30 this   
morning and told her about yesterday's events, she had almost lost her temper. After it had  
been explained that the five had already been thoroughly lectured, screamed at, and humiliated  
the night before, she had decided against going into an all-out fit of rage. However, she still  
felt that it was her right to give them one more verbal bashing.  
  
"Very well then, since there are no volunteers...Rayan, tell me how you could have  
possibly been so irresponsible."  
  
At the sound of his name, the youth had paled visibly. Frantically shooting panicked looks at  
his fellow miscreants, who all pointedly ignored him, he finally cleared his throat.  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Smooth," Jerry muttered, then, "Ow!" as Rayan gave him a hard nudge.  
  
"Jerry? Since your lips seem to be looser than those of your companions, why don't you  
give it a try. And while you're at it, why don't you clear up some confusion as to what's going  
on between you and Miss Reena Merquise?"  
  
"Me? Er...well, you see-"  
  
KNOCK KNOCK  
  
Frowning, Lady Une stood up. "Come in."  
  
At her invitation, the door opened, and Heero walked in. "Two things," he said simply. When  
Lady Une gave him a confused look, he first took out a small monitor and turned it on.   
Suddenly, the faces of six confused girls popped up on the monitor.  
  
in the other room...  
  
"Yikes!" Eva shrieked before quickly turning off the monitor.  
  
"Uh-oh, I guess Tousan eventually caught on," Riko said meekly, turning red.  
  
back in Lady Une's office...  
  
"You were being spied on," Heero said, stating the obvious.  
  
"Ooh...had to be our little Niichan," Thomas growled. "She's really just too smart and  
resourceful for her age!"  
  
"Second thing," Heero continued, ignoring the other boys. "Signs of rebellion are  
occuring in all the colonies. This may be the beginning of the Neo-Rommefeller's attack."  
  
Though Lady Une had been surprised to hear that, her face betrayed no emotion. Grimly, she  
nodded. "Courtesy of our representative in the colonies?"  
  
Heero nodded and pushed another button on the screen. This time, only one face appeared.  
Clear blue eyes looked back Heero's cobalt and Lady Une's brown.  
  
"Hello, Mother. It's been awhile," Mariemaia Khrushrenada said, smiling.  
  
"Mariemaia. I'm glad to see you," Lady Une said. "How are you and your husband?"  
  
"Safe, for now. I'm afraid that this will be my last report before I am forced to  
compromise my position. Now that the Neo-Rommefeller has made its move, we will need to seek  
refuge with you down on Earth."  
  
"Of course. A secure transport-"  
  
"-has already been arranged," Heero said flatly. "Get out of there now, Mariemaia."  
  
Mariemaia nodded. "Acknowledged. See you soon," and she broke the connection.  
  
Sighing, Lady Une ran a hand through her hair. "It's really too bad. Mariemaia was perhaps our  
best source to the Neo-Rommefeller's habits. However, I guess it's time to move on to the  
second part of Operation: Firestorm," and she turned her gaze back to the five pilots. She  
locked stares with them for a minute, then smiled thinly. "Do you understand now?" she said  
gently.  
  
The five stared right back, all traces of who they previously were gone. "We understand," Wuten  
said firmly. "We won't let you down."  
  
"The Neo-Rommefeller's plan so far seems simple," Heero began. "Take over the colonies,  
then begin a war of attrition against the Earth. Fortunately, ever since the Mariemaia  
incident and the Reiming/Meilai incident, the Preventers have made it a point to keep hidden  
weapons available. Unfortunately, all Preventer headquarters have this stockpile, even though  
the majority of the weapons, including the blueprints of the Gundams and the Gundams themselves  
remain here on Earth, and the Neo-Rommefeller will certainly make use of the weapons of the   
smaller Preventer headquarters on each of the colonies. We also know that they have been   
secretly manufacturing weapons of their own. However, we can only guess at how extensive their   
weaponry is. Therefore, the first things we are going to do are destroy the weapons on the  
colonies, evacuate as many Preventers as possible, and prepare ourselves for war."  
  
"Wait, are we just going to give up on the colonies?!" Rayan demanded, thinking of his  
many aunts scattered across space.  
  
"There is no choice. Clinging to the colonies would only weaken us. We have no hold  
over them. It is better to centralize our forces here. The Neo-Rommefeller has stationed  
itself in the colonies, and until we know where they are, it is impossible to fight them. Once  
they reveal themselves, then it will be possible to fight them, and we can win back the colonies  
one by one."  
  
"But...but.."  
  
"Easy, Rayan," Wuli said. "Heero-sama is right. More lives would be lost if we took  
such a hopeless stand."   
  
"Okay then, so where do we come in?" Thomas asked.  
  
"You five, along with the other three, will prepare yourselves and wait for them to  
make the first move. Once they do, you will be given further instructions. However, during  
this time, I want all eight of you to attempt to locate the separate Neo-Rommefeller factions  
on each of the colonies. Try to find their databases and hack into them. If you manage to  
do that, you can familiarize yourselves with your enemy."  
  
"What about the other three pilots?" Jerry asked.  
  
"They are being briefed by Duo and Wufei as of now. You eight will meet in the main  
computer room in ten minutes."  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Eva, I really don't want to know how you managed to escape your Uncle Heero's detection  
system for so long..." Duo muttered, his sheepish daughter standing in front of him. He  
stared at the monitor she had handed over and shook his head. "You're like your mother. Too  
smart and too ambitious for your own good."  
  
"Er...sorry?"  
  
Duo laughed and pat his daughter on the head. "Well, I guess you just got a good mix of genes,"  
and he stooped down and tapped her nose. "Now, I'm going to be hanging on to THIS little  
creation of yours, and don't let me catch you again, you hear?"  
  
"Yes Daddy."  
  
Straightening, Duo turned his attention back to the other five girls. "And do you all understand  
what I've told you? Aelis? Giselle?"  
  
"Yes, Duo-jiisan."  
  
Duo nodded. "Good good. See you in the main computer room in ten, then," and started out. On  
his way out, he noticed Clare's sick looking expression, and sighed. "Come on Clare, don't  
be so sad. It's not healthy."  
  
"It's not exactly healthy to go fight in a war either," she muttered sullenly, staring  
at her feet.  
  
Duo smiled grimly. "Ah...you have your mother's razor sharp wit there now, only you don't  
bother to even try to hide your hatred of war. Well, I never really was so great at pep talks,  
but try to relax a little, 'kay? Worrying and being angry won't make this thing blow over any  
quicker."  
  
After Duo left, Reena went up and squeezed Clare's arm. "I know how you feel, Clare," she said  
gently. "After all, I'm in love with the other Maxwell-"  
  
"WHY does everyone think I like Thomas?!" she howled furiously as the other girls  
laughed. "Arg! He's annoying and loud and rude and...oh, never mind!"  
  
"What is it Clare? Is he cute and funny and handsome too?" Giselle teased, trying to  
lighten the mood a little.  
  
"Come on ladies, tease Clare later, or at least save some for us when we get back,  
okay?" Aelis said, pointedly looking at her watch.  
  
Giselle got the hint. "Okay Aelis. Let's go."   
  
Chapter 15  
  
"Took you long enough," Wuten said snidely, glaring at Aelis and Giselle as they  
walked into the room.  
  
"At least we didn't go on some drinking binge, then get chewed out by both our parents  
AND Lady Une," Giselle shot back.  
  
"It was not a binge!"  
  
"Oh yes it was!"  
  
"Was not!"  
  
"Was too!"  
  
"And would the people here who's IQ's are LARGER than their shoe size please listen  
up?!" cut in Thomas, rolling his eyes. "Sheesh...what's the world coming to, when I of all  
people have to break up some fight? Isn't it usually ME that causes the fights?"  
  
"At least you have the courage to admit it," Geoffry murmured, snickering.  
  
"Why thank yo-Hey!"  
  
"If you're all about done, could we please start listening now?"  
  
"Oh...sorry Heero-jiisan..."  
  
Heero cast a baleful eye over the sheepish teenagers and groaned inwardly. "At this rate, it'll  
be a miracle if they survive their first real battle," he thought. "The original Gundam pilots  
and I...well, perhaps with the exception of Duo, only survived the war because we weren't being  
ridiculous and foolish...Were we wrong? Do our offspring truly even have the ABILITY to   
accomplish the task before them?"  
  
"Earth to Heero! You in there?" Duo bellowed, laughing. "What's this, are we getting  
so old that we space out all the time? Haha, Heero's over the hill; Heero's over the hi-OW!"  
  
"I'm not so over the hill that I still can't get you to shut up," Heero said calmly,  
keeping a firm grip on Duo's braid. "And I'm sure we all know what a hard task that can be."  
  
"Yeow! Okay okay, you win! Just don't touch the hair!" Duo howled as everyone else  
laughed. Smirking to himself, Heero finally let go.  
  
As Duo nursed his injured hair, Heero began his talk. "As I was saying, the Neo-Rommefeller  
has begun their attack. The Preventer Headquarters on the colonies have all been overrun, and  
several hundred tons worth of weapons confiscated, including some mobile suits. There have  
been some small skirmishes here on Earth as well; however, those were eliminated without much  
trouble."  
  
"And as I was about to say before some certain person decided to mutilate my beautiful  
hair, I, along with the other pilots, have managed to hack into some of the databases of the  
Neo-Rommefeller's stations on various colonies, and even a few on Earth. Therefore, you guys  
have your first mission: Get to these stations, download key items of information, then get the  
heck outta there as fast as your little legs can carry ya. Oh...and try not to get caught,  
'cause that would be bad," Duo finished cheerfully.  
  
Everyone else in the room groaned at the last part. "Yes, Dad, I think we all know THAT little  
detail by now," Jerry sighed.  
  
"So who wants to go first?" Wufei said as he entered the room, followed by the other  
gundam pilots along with Noin, Hilde, Reiming, and Meilai. "It's better if one or two of you  
go first; test them out a little. Remember, they're expecting you."  
  
The new pilots stared at each other. "Er...how about 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'?" Jerry suggested.  
  
Sweatdrops all around.  
  
"Jerry...I don't know if you're going to even live long enough to become my brother-in-  
law..." Aelis groaned.  
  
"Ditto," Geoffry added.  
  
"Fine, then I'll go," Giselle spoke up. Turning to Aelis, she asked, "Wanna go with me?"  
  
Aelis shrugged. "Why not?"  
  
Wufei nodded. "Okay, that's one team. Why don't we have another one? Thomas? Geoffry? How  
about you two?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Very well. Now, Aelis and Giselle will target the weapons base in the Middle East area,  
and Thomas and Geoffry will go for the supply station on colong Z5203. Take a few minutes to  
go over the statistics of the two places, and prepare to leave in thirty minutes. Any  
questions?"  
  
"Yeah, what happens if we get caught?"  
  
More sweatdrops. "Thomas...please, just shut up now, okay? Save the little dignity that you  
still have," Geoffry muttered, hiding his face.  
  
later...  
  
"Aelis, are you SURE that you can do this?" Reena asked for the umpteenth time as she  
followed her sister around the Preventer Headquarters. "What if you get lost? What if you get  
caught? Oh my God, what if-"  
  
"Reena! Please! You're not making this any easier!" Aelis said impatiently as she  
skimmed over the papers in her hand and tried to zip up her flight suit at the same time.  
"Nothing is going to happen, so relax!"  
  
"But what if-"  
  
"Reena! Nothing...Is...Going...To...HAPPEN!"  
  
"Okay, fine then..." Reena sulked, hurt. Then she sniffled. "But...but..."  
  
"Stop acting like such a baby!" Aelis finally exploded, losing her temper. "Look, I  
KNOW that this is amazingly dangerous. But I have to do this, so just...leave me alone!"  
  
Reena looked like she had been slapped. Turning around, she ran down the hallway, sobbing.  
Aelis watched her twin leave, then smacked herself on the head. "Aelis, you idiot!" she scolded  
herself, sighing. "You're letting this mission totally mess you up! Reena...I'm sorry..." she  
murmured to her sister's retreating form, then turned around back towards the hangar.  
  
On the way there, she ran into Giselle. "Hey, what's the matter Aelis?"  
  
"Nothing...just being a total jerk to my sister," Aelis sighed, shaking her head.  
  
"You? How? That's definitely not the Aelis I know!" Giselle frowned, falling into  
step beside the other girl.   
  
"I dunno...I guess this mission's just making me nervous, so I kinda blew up at her.  
As far as I know, she's proabably in her room right now, sobbing."  
  
"Oh ouch...Um, I'm sorry..."  
  
Aelis laughed dryly. "Hey, it's not like it's your fault or anything. What can I say, I guess  
I'm just a cast-iron bitch-"  
  
"Aelis! Stop insulting yourself!"  
  
"Yeah...guess you're right..." Aelis finished, and the two girls finally entered the  
hangar. "Hi everyone," they greeted.  
  
"Yo, Giselle, Aelis, wassup? Ready for our first mission?" Thomas asked cheerfully,  
waving them over. Then he went back to admiring his flight suit. "Man...I look GOOD!" he  
said smugly, then called over to Geoffry, "Hey! Do we look great or what?"  
  
Geoffry rolled his eyes from his position at a console, where he was running a check on  
Heavyarms. "Leave it to Thomas to be admiring himself at a time like this," he muttered, then  
raised his head to acknowledge the two girls before finishing up. "All done!" he said, brushing  
off his hands. "Heavyarms, are you ready?"  
  
Meanwhile, the other pilots had all gotten into their suits. Giselle leaned over and waved to  
Aelis. "You ready?" she called.  
  
"As much as I'll ever be! Let's go!"  
  
And four mobile suits took off.  
  
sometime later...  
  
Geoffry ran down a hallway quickly, several disks in hand. "Thomas? You there?" he hissed.  
  
Back in Wing, Thomas spoke into the microphone. "Yeah, is everything okay in there?"  
  
"So far so good. I've got some information, and I'm getting out of here as I speak.  
You? Have you dealt with the security yet?"  
  
"Yeah. The videocameras show images from last week; no one's gonna see some blond kid  
running down the hall, and the guards all have a 'break' right now; I just hope they don't  
realize that incidentally, ALL the guards are on break right now."  
  
"What?! Break?! In what way?"  
  
"Hey, relax! It's nothing bad. All the guards just got memos that they're on leave  
right now, and to be back in a few hours. Sheesh, what did you think I meant, I took them all  
out? Oh please."  
  
"Well you never know with you!" Geoffry muttered as he sprinted around the final corner.  
"Come on, let's get out of here!"  
  
As the two suits quickly left the colony and entered space, Thomas crowed, "Mission...complete!"  
  
Geoffry couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, we did pretty good...I wonder how the girls are doing?"  
  
elsewhere?  
  
Aelis and Giselle sprinted down the hall, being chased by several guards. "Great! Why do the  
GUYS get some easy supply base, while we get to go to this fortress?!" Giselle panted, dodging  
the bullets.  
  
"Well, at least we got what we needed!" Aelis gasped, her head ducked low. "Don't you  
remember that Heero-sama had warned us that this place was very closely guarded, and that the  
chances of us completely escaping detection were slim to none?"  
  
"So why the heck did he send us here?!"  
  
"Hey, it's okay, we got what we needed, right?" Aelis winked, flashing several disks.  
"And besides, there're our suits!"  
  
Sure enough, the girls made it to their mobile suits in plenty of time before their pursuers and  
jumped in. "See you!" Giselle called out cheerfully before firing several of her missiles at  
once. "Come on Aelis, let's split!"  
  
"Agreed," Aelis said as she wreaked havoc with her whip.  
  
Back at the ruined station, a guard reported to a man on a screen. "Sir, I regret to inform you  
that two gundam pilots sneaked into the station. 40% of our facility has been destroyed, and  
there are 80 casualties."  
  
The man seemed nonplussed. "Did you see who they were?"  
  
"Yes and no sir. One image was too blurred, but the other is quite clear. I'll send  
them over right now," and two images popped up. One was of a figure in mid-flip; it was nearly  
impossible to see the face, but the other was of a striking girl with tousled ponytails and  
flashing blue eyes. The man smiled. "It's quite alright; I already expected them to come,"  
he said to the soldier as he studied the images. "Carry on with your duties."  
  
"And you," he murmured after the connection had been cut, "I know who you are...You  
look almost exactly like your aunt, but you have your father's eyes and from what I hear, your  
mother's personality..." The man smiled. "Miss Aelis Merquise, I will be looking forward to  
hearing from you again soon..." 


	6. Part Six: On Shaky Ground

Chapter 16  
  
"What do you mean, you got caught?!" Thomas sputtered, staring. "Our mission went  
without a hitch!"  
  
Giselle glared at Thomas as she wiped her brow. "Look, your mission was no where as difficult as  
ours, so you can just shut up! We got out alive, didn't we?"  
  
"And you both did very well," Lady Une smiled as she looked up from perusing the contents  
of the disks. "Thomas and Geoffry, well done on the supply ship schedules. And Aelis and  
Giselle, good job on the weapon inventory as well as the destruction on the station."  
  
"WHAT?! You guys ended up fighting?!" Thomas stared.  
  
"Of course we did you idiot! We got CAUGHT, didn't we?! What else were we supposed to  
do?!" snapped Aelis irately.  
  
"Whoa, chill Aelis! I didn't mean it like that!" Thomas frowned.  
  
Geoffry also frowned. "Hey, are you okay?"  
  
"Me? I'm just great! So just, back off, okay?"  
  
"...Aelis?" Giselle whispered uncertainly as the two girls walked off, leaving behind  
two confused male pilots.  
  
"...I'm...I'm sorry, Giselle. But...I just thought of something..."  
  
"Hmm? What is it?"  
  
"Well, did you make sure to keep your face covered?"  
  
Giselle blinked. "Well, yeah. Isn't that what we were supposed to do? What do you...Oh, no..."  
she finished, eyes widening. "Don't tell me..."  
  
Aelis nodded miserably. "When the guards caught us, you know, when you did that amazing flip  
and leaped over them? Well, when I was busy barging through them, I think the camera caught my  
face..."  
  
"Um, well, we don't know, right? I mean, it was only a second; the camera might now have  
been at the angle you were at!" Giselle said hopefully, praying that she was right.  
  
"Yeah...maybe you're right..." Aelis murmured, trying not to worry. "Well, I guess I'm  
going to go take a shower then. Meet you in the lounge later?"  
  
"Sounds great. See you."  
  
later...  
  
"So how'd it go? Tell tell!" Eva said cheerfully, bouncing around her brother. "I heard  
that it was great!"  
  
Thomas grinned at his hyperactive sister and picked her up, threw her in the air, then caught her  
again as she came down giggling. "Yeah, it was all cool," he said laughing. "They never even  
saw us."  
  
"How 'bout Giselle and Aelis?"  
  
"Um, not so smooth. They had a small scuffle, but they're okay. They're not hurt, and  
they got to take out some of the Neo-Rommefeller too," he finished as they headed down to the  
lounge. "Hey minna!" he called out as they descended down the stairs. "What'd we miss?"  
  
"Hey Lil Bro! Congrats on a job well done!" Jerry said, raising a glass. Thomas eyed  
the glass warily. "Jerry..."  
  
"What? This? Hey what do you think this is?! Geez, it's just soda! Hmph," he  
grumbled as everyone else laughed.  
  
Riko giggled as she took a sip. "Yeah, you boys had BETTER had learned your lesson! What were  
you all thinking anyway?"  
  
"Oh, stop rubbing it in," he muttered good-naturedly. "Come on, even I'M not that  
stupid!"  
  
"Right..." Geoffry laughed, in a good mood himself. The mission's success had   
energized him, and he was indulging in the revelry like everyone else. Then he frowned as his  
gaze shifted over to the side of the room.  
  
Reena and Aelis were sitting on the couch stiffly. Reena was nervously fiddling with her glass  
and gazing uneasily at Aelis, while Aelis was staring off into space. "That's odd," Geoffry  
murmured, but then his thought was interrupted by Jerry.  
  
"Reena! Hey, join the party!" he called cheerfully as he went over and kissed her on the  
cheek. "Aren't you happy that your little brother to be just had a great first mission?"  
  
"Yeah...great..." Reena said weakly, trying to smile. Raising her glass, she stuttered,  
"Um...great job Thomas!" and she took a small sip.  
  
"Yeah, ditto," Aelis said tonelessly, saluting him also. "You too, Geoffry."  
  
"Thanks...You too, Aelis. And Giselle," he said, acknowledging them both.  
  
"You too! Great job!" Giselle said happily, leaning against Rayan, but then her gaze  
slid over the Aelis. "Aelis...what's wrong? What didn't you tell me?" she thought uneasily.  
  
that evening...  
  
"So what did they find?" Wufei asked.  
  
"A complete weapons inventory of the Middle East base, as well as partial inventories for  
others in the area, and the food supply ship schedules for the bases on that colony," Heero  
summarized. "Not bad, for a first mission."  
  
"Did they find out who the leaders of the Neo-Rommefeller were?" Quatre asked.  
  
"No, which is why they're going again tomorrow morning."  
  
"What?!" Duo exclaimed. "So soon? Why?"  
  
"They have to move quickly. The sooner we find out what we need, the sooner this thing  
ends."  
  
"But who goes this time?"  
  
"They'll all go. Wuten and Wuli can attack a cargo shipment, but Aelis and Giselle can  
infiltrate another base while Jerry and Geoffry cover for them. Rayan and Thomas can attack  
another weapons shipment as well."  
  
"If we're going to take such an aggressive approach, we'll need backup here as well,"  
Trowa reminded him. "So who will that be?"  
  
Heero's face remained blank. "That has been taken care of," he said neutrally. "Mariemaia will  
be arriving tonight; she can pilot a Taurus mobile suit well enough."  
  
"And? One person won't be enough. I mean, I suppose WE could help, but really, how much  
can we still do?" Duo asked. "Sure, we're all healthy enough, but that's still not much."  
  
"Like I said, it's already been taken care of," Heero stated. "We'll be fine."  
  
Wufei glanced at Heero. "I have a pretty good idea of WHO you're talking about to back  
Mariemaia up, and I don't like it," he said flatly. "You're talking about YOUR child now,  
aren't you?"  
  
"NANI?! RIKO?! You're sending out Riko to defend Headquarters?! WHY?!" Duo sputtered,  
shocked. "What experience in MS piloting does she have?"  
  
"Enough," Heero responded. "Relena obviously doesn't know, but I've spent a lot of time  
working with her. Riko is quite capable of MS suit piloting."  
  
Duo groaned and turned around. "Heero...Relena is going to kill you. Didn't you two AGREE on  
the fact that Riko would have no exposure to weapons whatsoever?"  
  
"I changed my mind."  
  
"Well, THAT much is obvious!"  
  
"Heero, just how much does Riko know?" Wufei asked.  
  
"She can pilot Tauruses, Leos, Virgos, and Serpents well enough, and she has some  
knowledge of small arms. Contrary to popular belief," Heero continued dryly, "she DOES know one  
end of a gun from the other."  
  
"Does anyone know about her skills?" Quatre asked. "Besides, of course, herself and  
you?"  
  
"No."  
  
Duo sighed. "Like I said, Ojousan is going to KILL you..." he muttered. Then his eyes  
widened. "Wait, what about Zechs? Does he know?"  
  
"To some extent. He was actually quite supportive of the idea, and allowed us access to  
Preventer arms. That's how we obtained access to the suits."  
  
"Well, that's just great..."  
  
"So back to the mission. All eight pilots will leave tomorrow at five in the morning.  
Wuten and Wuli will target the satellite supply ship; Thomas and Rayan the arms transport  
train in the US; and the other four the base on colony X2447."  
  
"Isn't that supposedly one of the main bases?" Trowa frowned. "Remember, they DID get  
caught today-"  
  
"-which is why both Jerry and Geoffry will be out there covering for them. Now, let's  
go inform them on their next mission." 


	7. Part Seven: The Switch

Chapter 17  
  
"You two can enter through here," Duo pointed, "and then go to here and here, download  
the information, then leave through here. The security guards are at these points, and this is  
the rotation schedule. Jerry, you and Geoffry stay here," he jabbed at the paper, "but watch  
out for the patrolling guards in the suits here, here, and here. Any questions?"  
  
"Um, guess not. Well, what kind of security features are there?" Giselle asked.  
  
"Infrared sensors, cameras, guards, and the occasional tear gas compartment. But if you  
avoid these places (jab jab) you should be okay. Remember to keep your heads low and stick to  
the shadows. Jerry and Geoffry," he turned to them, "if ANYONE catches you two or the girls,  
blow the crud outta them, okay? But be quiet about it if you can."  
  
"Okay, Tousan."  
  
"Alright, Duo-jiisan."  
  
"Good. Are you four ready?"  
  
"As ready as we'll ever be. Oh, where are Rayan and Thomas?" Geoffry asked in  
afterthought.  
  
Duo frowned and scratched his head. "Huh, you're right...Hey Heero! Have you seen Rayan and  
Thomas?"  
  
"Rayan is here; Thomas is on the way," came the monotonous reply. Duo groaned. "Geez,  
where IS he? He can't be late like this all the time!"  
  
"I'll go get him, Duo-jiisan," Aelis offered. "I won't be long."  
  
"Thanks Aelis, and yell at him for me, 'kay?"  
  
Aelis smiled slightly. "Um, okay," she chuckled, and turned to leave.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Leave me alone Thomas!" Clare said in an exasperated voice. "Why are you following me  
around? Don't you have a MISSION or something?!" she spat, placing disgusted emphasis on the  
word mission.  
  
"Of course I have a mission! But I'm not leaving until you tell me what the heck is  
bothering you!" an equally exasperated Thomas shot back. "You didn't say a word last night;  
you were more quiet than Reena and Aelis! And then this morning you were a wreck-"  
  
"I am NOT a wreck!"  
  
"Yes you-"  
  
"No I am not, and don't you forget that, Thomas Maxwell!" Clare snapped, spinning around  
to glare at him. "I will ALWAYS have INFINITELY more self-control than yo-"  
  
"CLARE! Stop this!" Thomas suddenly shouted, stunning her into silence. "Look, I...I  
mean...well..."  
  
"THERE you are, Thomas! What do you think you're doing?! Hurry up! You're late!"  
Aelis appeared suddenly, interrupting Thomas. She rolled her eyes in exasperation and grabbed  
onto his arm. "Come on! Oh great," she muttered as she suddenly dropped her papers.  
  
"Let me help-OW!" Clare broke off. As she had stooped to help Aelis, they had knocked  
heads and she had accidentally spilled her drink on the papers. "Oh Aelis, I'm sorry!"  
  
"It's okay...Thomas, why are you still here? Go! And tell them I'm going to be a little  
late," Aelis instructed, giving him a dark look. Thomas backed off.   
  
"Sheesh okay Aelis...touchy touchy. And YOU," he frowned, pointing at Clare, "You and  
I are going to continue our little talk when I get back."  
  
"IF you get back..." Clare muttered, trying hard not to cry.  
  
"...Clare-chan?"  
  
"Go away! Go do your little mission; I'm fine," she managed, hiding her tears. But  
Thomas didn't buy it, and reaching over, pulled her close for a hug. Clare's eyes widened.  
"Thomas?!"  
  
"So THAT'S why you're so upset...Don't worry about any of us; we'll be okay," he  
said soothingly, stroking her hair. Then he grinned. "I'm a son of death! I'm invici-"  
  
"You wish, you self-centered jerk!" Clare snapped, pushing him away with mock anger.  
Turning around, she lifted her nose and prepared to flounce off. "Hmph...son of death indeed!"  
she muttered to herself as she walked off. Then, she sighed and murmured, "Son of the great  
Shinigami, come back alive..."  
  
Aelis watched this exchange with mild amusement. "And yet, somehow, you have no feelings for  
her?" she asked skeptically, then frowned. "Now get moving!" she snapped before he could  
respond and she too flounced off. Thomas watched them leave, then threw up his hands in  
frustration. "Women..." he muttered as he walked off. "I will never understand them."  
  
a few moments later...  
  
"Done!" Aelis said with satisfaction as the printer discharged the last few sheets of  
paper. Then she checked her watch. "Wow, I'd better hurry and get back...Reena, is that you?"  
  
Reena stepped out from the shadows uncertainly. "Um, hi Aelis," she said weakly.   
  
Aelis frowned. "Reena, what's wrong?" Then she smiled. "And why the heck do you have one of  
my flight suits on?"  
  
"Um, well, you see..." and she trailed off. Finally, she exploded, "I'm sorry Aelis!"  
and lunged. Aelis' eyes widened in shock. "Reena!" she yelped right before she felt herself  
get pricked by a needle. "You...idiot..." she murmured as she slumped forward, fast asleep.  
  
Reena looked nervously at her sister's prone form on the ground. "I'm sorry, Aelis," she said,  
wringing her hands. "But...you were right. I can't understand you at all, because I'm the  
one who's not fighting. So now...Please forgive me; I have to do this."  
  
Finally, Reena stood up and sighed. Picking up Aelis' dropped papers, she hurried down the  
hall. Finally, she reached the hangar...and dived back behind. "Oh great! I almost went out  
there! Geoffry's going to recognize me...What should I do?"  
  
"Aelis! There you are! Come on, it's showtime!" Duo called cheerfully. Reena paled.   
"Uh...coming!" she choked out, praying that she sounded like her sister. Then she hurridly jammed   
her helmet on her head and rushed out.  
  
"I'm here," she said breathlessly as she approached the other three pilots. Ignoring the sulky   
looks Thomas was throwing her and the concerned looks from Giselle, Jerry, and her brother, she dashed   
into the waiting shuttle.  
  
later...  
  
"Giselle, why is it that we're not going to use the mobile suits this time?"  
  
Surprised, Giselle turned around. Reena had been facing the wall the entire trip, seemingly lost in  
her thoughts. "Well, why do you ask?"  
  
"...Just wondering, I guess."  
  
Giselle thought for a moment, then said, "Well, I guess they weren't too sure if we were used to the  
suit intensities yet. I mean, we just fought a small skirmish and all, and they probably don't want to  
overwork us."  
  
There was another pause. Then, Reena spoke again. "How...how could you have possibly killed then?"  
  
Giselle winced. She had been hoping not to address the issue, but there was no avoiding it now. "I...I  
guess after having done it once...it got easier..." Then she laughed a harsh, bitter laugh. "Now that I  
think about it, I'll bet you they did this on purpose. To prevent us from damning ourselves anymore than we  
already have. Aelis, how is it that YOU managed to do it then?"  
  
Reena paused, not knowing how to react. How would her sister react in this situation? she wondered. Finally,  
for lack of anything else better to say, she finally said, "For peace, then, I guess. For the sake of  
peace...we become the monsters we must become..." Inside, she sighed. "Poor Aelis...how DID you bring  
yourself to do it? I'm learning so much about you now, more than I have learned all the 23 years of my life...  
Have I always been truly this sheltered from the truth? I envy you...You can sacrifice yourself for others, but  
what about me? Where does that leave me...?"  
  
outside...  
  
"Hey Geoffry, what the heck is up with your sister?!" Jerry demanded.   
  
Geoffry snorted. "Heck if I know," he muttered, frustrated himself. "It's not like her...though I have to admit,  
I guess we should be more sympathetic."  
  
"Huh, what do you mean?"  
  
"Didn't you notice how they're not supposed to go use their suits this time? They go in pretending to  
drop off cargo, grab the information, get out again, and if we have to, we cover. Odd how they aren't fighting at  
all this time?"  
  
"And if anything DOES happen, we are the ones to fight, not them," Jerry concluded correctly, then groaned.  
"Of course! They're protecting them! Our parents don't want to traumatize them anymore than they already are."  
Well that's just great, he thought to himself, somewhat bitterly. Fine then, let us manly men do the dirty work!  
  
"Yeah well, we DID make the choice to get involved," Geoffry said in a flat, logical voice.  
  
Thomas sighed. "Let me guess, said the last part out loud?"  
  
"Very good, Einstein."  
  
"Ha ha."  
  
Geoffry smiled grimly. "Lose the act, Jerry. It's time to go in."  
  
"Roger that." 


	8. Part Eight: The Loss

Chapter 18  
  
Anxiously, the two boys watched as the shuttle with Reena and Giselle was allowed entry into  
the port. "Do you think everything will go well?" Jerry murmured, suddenly uneasy. "Hey,  
is it just me or does something not feel quite right right now?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
inside...  
  
Reena and Giselle, both having changed into standard cargo shipper clothes, were waved  
past security without a second glance. The two girls stealthily exchanged glances and   
nodded. Floating into a corridor, they quickly checked around for security equipment.  
There was none, just as Duo had promised. Giselle breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew, one  
less thing to worry about. Now, what about the clothes..."  
  
Reena stiffened. It hadn't occured to her that they would need to steal the clothes off of  
two professionally trained soldiers. Oh no! she thought frantically. I can hardly kill  
a bug, how am I going to do this?!  
  
Fortunately, Giselle had already taken care of that. Unaware of Reena's thoughts, she  
pulled two syringes from her belt. Smiling, she said, "Gifts from my mother. When the  
two soldiers come here, I'll jab these in. Ah, here they are now!"  
  
Sure enough, just as predicted, two bored soldiers started down the corridor according to  
their schedule. Neither noticed the slender girl in the shadows until it was too late.  
  
"There!" Giselle said, dusting off her hands before promptly starting to strip off  
the clothes. Then she glanced up. "Hey Aelis, what's wrong?"  
  
Reena had been fighting the vomit rising in her throat. "They...they..." she stuttered.  
  
Giselle frowned, then realized what she was saying. "They aren't DEAD you know," she   
said somewhat defensively.  
  
Reena breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh...okay then," she said, then joined her friend.  
  
A few minutes later, two soldiers walked out into view again, right on schedule. As soon  
as they were out of ear shot, Giselle muttered, "Okay, I'll go here, you go there. Meet  
in fifteen minutes back at that other hallway," and she quickly ran off, Reena staring  
helplessly after her.  
  
"Stupid Reena!" she berated herself. "You have no experience in hacking, so now  
what are you going to do?! Aelis will kill you, Tousan and Kaasan will hate me, everyone  
will just call me a spoiled brat..." she wailed silently, fighting back her tears. Then  
her rational side took over. "Okay," she told herself. "The papers said that the  
security here was very high. Aelis couldn't have possibly learned enough in that short  
of a time to hack in here. Which means..." and she quickly started searching her pockets.  
She turned up with several electronic devices. After staring some more, she took  
another deep breath. "I guess...I'll just wing it," she sighed, before running off.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Giselle quickly typed into the keyboard. "Denied, huh?" she muttered, then sighed. "Oh  
well, it was worth a shot," and she attached the devices Heero had given her. "Well, I   
was hoping I could have done it WITHOUT your help..." she muttered good-naturedly, then  
began copying the information. Finally, she was done. "Alright," she said, glancing at  
her watch, "right on time." and she hurried out of the room.  
  
Back outside, she met up again with Reena, who was looking rather smug. After five   
minutes of helpless staring, she had finally managed to figure everything out and had  
managed to find out a good deal of information. She quickly nodded to Giselle and the  
two girls began to walk back to the dock. That's when the alarms went off.  
  
outside...  
  
"FUCK!"  
  
Jerry Maxwell had definitely had better days. Everything had gone according to plan.  
The two girls had gotten in; no one had noticed them; in fact, both Jerry and Geoffry had  
been feeling pretty good about themselves. Then some odd looking mobile suit found them.  
  
Next thing he knew, he was surrounded. Near him, Geoffry wasn't having much better luck.  
As he fired away with his gatling guns, Geoffry's mind was racing furiously. How, how,  
how?! How had they been discovered? And, he thought, studying the different suit in  
front of him, what the heck was THAT?! Certainly nothing he had ever seen or heard of  
before.  
  
Though the two were being assaulted by several squads of mobile dolls, the suit that had  
actually found them was not something they had seen before. It was small for a mobile  
suit, only slightly larger than a Taurus, and definitely not as large as a Gundam. Jerry  
and Geoffry had to admit that it was very well made and sleek in design. Clearly, it had  
been built for stealth, and it had done its job well. Somehow, it had perceived their  
hiding spot, even with their sophisticated cloaking systems. And now they were screwed.  
  
Back in the station, Reena and Giselle were in equal amounts of trouble. Both had managed  
to strip their stolen clothes and don space suits, but the presence of two suited figures  
had been obvious enough to show that they were intruders. But it was a risk they had to  
take. As Giselle had pointed out, they would probably have to fling themselves out the  
nearest airlock and be flown back home in the hand of a Gundam. Unfortunately, as they  
neared the exit with an ever-growing mob behind them, it was clear the boys had their own  
problems.  
  
The girls skidded to a halt when they saw the battle outside. Both Deathscythe and  
Heavyarms were surrounded by mobile dolls, and more troops were on the way, these armed  
with Serpents. Giselle swore eloquently in English, Spanish, and Chinese before turning to  
figure out another exit. "There!" she gasped, pointing. "Duo-sama said that there was  
an empty hangar over there with an unguarded shuttle-"  
  
"-Which would be perfect if they weren't closing the entrance!" Reena screamed. To  
the girls' horror, the door was indeed closing. "Hurry!" Reena cried as the girls raced  
towards the narrowing entrance.   
  
outside...  
  
"Geoffry!"  
  
"Huh?! Aelis?!"  
  
"What the HELL is going on out there?!"  
  
"We got discovered!" he snarled, knifing a doll and letting the explosion take  
out another Serpent. "Where are you guys?"  
  
"Running to a spare shuttle-AAH!"  
  
"Aelis!"  
  
Over on his side of the battlefield, Jerry paused long enough to tilt his head. "That  
scream...didn't sound like Aelis..." he said slowly.  
  
Back inside, both girls shrieked and jumped backwards. They had almost been at the  
entrance and the desperate soldiers began to fire at the entrance, preventing them from  
getting any closer. With the entrance just ten feet away and closing, they wanted to  
scream and cry with frustration. The situation was hopeless.  
  
Suddenly, Reena had an idea. Grimly, she turned around to face the soldiers. "Aelis,  
what are you DOING?!" Giselle cried.   
  
"GO!" Reena cried, and rammed into the nearest soldier. "And take this with you!"  
she added, flinging her her disk.  
  
"AELIS!"  
  
"GO! Didn't you hear me?! NOW!" Reena shouted again. She was no match for the  
soldiers, having had no training, and she was being overwhelmed. "Get out of here!"  
  
"I...I...Aelis, I'll come back!" Giselle cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.  
And with that, she turned around and dove through the crack just before the doors closed.  
  
Reena smiled grimly. Even though she had about twenty guns trained at her head, she   
trusted her friends enough that they would come back. As a blunt object smashed her in the  
head, she muttered, "Jerry...I'm...sorry...". Then she passed out.  
  
Outside, Jerry suddenly jerked. "NO!!!" he cried. He had just realized whose voice it  
had truly been. "REENA! What...what...why?! REENA!!!" and he started hacking towards the  
station with a vengeance.  
  
"Jerry! JERRY!"  
  
Jerry ignored the voice. Blinded with terror and rage, he slashed and hacked  
indiscriminately.  
  
"JERICHO MAXWELL!"  
  
Suddenly, Jerry found that he couldn't move. In his rage, he had cleared out the remaining  
forces. However, he had almost decimated a small shuttle that had just flown out.  
Geoffry had stopped him just in time. "Jerry! That's Giselle and Aelis in there!"  
  
When he heard that, Jerry started to laugh hysterically. "Aelis? AELIS?! Ha...hahahaha!  
Aelis! In there! That's a good one Geoffry. You actually think Aelis is in that  
shuttle?"  
  
Geoffry slowly felt the air rush out of him. Quickly, he paged the shuttle. "Giselle?  
Where's Aelis?!"  
  
Giselle didn't know what to say. "Geoffry...she..."  
  
"WHERE IS SHE?!" he shouted into the screen. "Giselle, where the hell is my  
sister?! TELL ME!"  
  
"She's still in there!" Giselle cried, starting to sob. "She...she couldn't  
make it out. She covered for me, but got caught in the process!"  
  
"No..."  
  
"And that's not all!" Jerry said, still laughing uncontrollably. "That wasn't  
Aelis! Nope nope nope! That was Reena! My Reena! And now she's their prisoner!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"Yeah, that's right! Reena is...Reena is...REENA!!!" he screamed in agony, his  
pain-filled cry echoing throughout space. 


	9. Part Nine: Generations Collide

Chapter 19  
  
"What the hell is going on?!"  
  
Those were the first words out of Duo's mouth as he stared at the scene before him.  
Geoffry was stoic, Giselle hysterical, and Jerry, well...  
  
"Let me go! Let me GO!" he howled like a madman, thrashing about, straining  
against Geoffry, whose smaller stature was putting him at a disadvantage. "I've...got...  
to..."  
  
"Idiot, you can't do anything for that bitch of my sister-"  
  
"Don't call her that! Don't call her that!"  
  
"And why not!" Geoffry exploded. "Her stupid and immature attitude cost us that  
mission-"  
  
"No it didn't, and you know it!"  
  
"Well it could have!" Geoffry snarled, still struggling to hold the older boy  
back. At fourteen, Geoffry had spent most of his life learning to constrain his  
emotions, a habit that perplexed his mother to no end. Secretly, however, he was only a  
boy who yearned to emulate his father. He had certainly read enough about the Lightning  
Count in the history books, but having him as a father was completely different. Geoffry  
admired his father's cool temper, his seemingly infinite self-control. As a result, he  
had tried to lock his emotions in hope that perhaps, one day, he could be worthy of being  
the son of such a great man. Unfortunately for him, his naivete due to his youth had  
clouded over his original goal, and now he was angrily realizing that he had no control  
over his emotions whatsoever.  
  
Meanwhile, Giselle was sobbing. "I let her down...I let her DOWN!" she wailed, beating  
her fists against the shuttle door. Frantically, she kept on going over everything that  
had happened in her mind. "What did we do wrong?! And how could I possibly have not  
realized that it wasn't Aelis, but Reena?"  
  
"REENA?!" Duo jerked back when he heard that. His face pale, and turned around  
and roared, "ZECHS! Where is Reena?!"  
  
"What? Why?" Zechs demanded, running in and staring at the three teenagers.  
"Duo, what is going on here?"  
  
Unfortunately, Aelis chose that moment to stumble in. "DAD!!"  
  
"What the-AELIS?!" Zechs said, shocked. "But, weren't you..."  
  
"NO NO NO!" Aelis cried, looking around in terror. "That was REENA! She  
knocked me out and took my place!"  
  
Zechs froze. His already pale face drained of blood, then he turned and ran to Duo.  
Grabbing the shorter man by the collar, he snarled through clenched teeth, "Explain...  
NOW!"  
  
Duo wrenched himself free. "Hell if I know!" he shot back, rubbing his neck, and he  
turned and ran to the still frantic teenagers. "Jerry, okay, what happened?" he asked,  
trying to be calm, but not quite succeeding. "Where is Reena?"  
  
Unfortunately, Jerry was in no condition to talk. Still hysterical, he finally broke  
free of Geoffry's hold and tried running back to Deathscythe. "I've...got to-UGH!"  
  
As a last resort, Duo had tackled his own son; unfortunately, he also succeeded in  
knocking him out. Looking grimly down at his unconscious son, he sighed and turned around.  
"Okay...next shot. Geoffry?"  
  
"Reena took Aelis' place, then got captured," Geoffry said as calmly as he could,  
his muscles in his face twitching.  
  
When he heard this, Duo turned grimly to look at Zechs to see how he reacted to the news.  
Zechs' face had become a mask, though his fists were clenched. "Very well," he said with  
feigned calmness. "Reena has been captured. And her mission?"  
  
"She completed it," Giselle finally spoke up, handing over the disk. Sniffling,  
she said, "We were doing fine and were about to leave, when the alarm went off. We were  
forced to change into flight suits, because we figured our only chance of escape would be  
to go into space. As we were being chased, Aelis, well, Reena, turned around and  
distracted the enemy long enough for me to escape." she finally finished, then hiccupped.  
  
During this time, Aelis had been standing frozen. But when she heard how her sister had  
sacrificed herself, she let out a scream of grief and sank to her knees. "Reena, Reena,  
Reena," she kept sobbing, wailing in agony. "This is all my fault! I know why you did  
it now...No no NO!"  
  
"Damn her!" Geoffry exploded. "Why'd she have to be so stupid! She risked the  
entire mission, and for what, to prove a point! A damn fucking point!"  
  
"Shut up, shut up!" Aelis shot back. "You couldn't possibly understand! You're  
heart is COLD, Geoffry! I hardly know you now! What happened to my little brother? Who  
is this monster in front of me?!"  
  
"Monster?! How can you talk?! YOU drove her to this! Who's the monster now, huh,  
you or me?! And look at you! You're a mess! Your hair's messed up, you're sobbing your  
heart out, you're completely defeated! You're WEAK, that's what you are! You and Reena  
are the same! Both weak, both pathetic, both-"  
  
Geoffry's rant was abruptly cut off as a slap echoed through the room. Zechs had stepped  
up and delivered a blow so hard that Geoffry was thrown off balance. Holding his face,  
Geoffry looked up at his father with fury and pain.  
  
Zechs looked down as his son's expression. "Never," he said coldly, "insult ANYBODY like  
that, especially not your own family. Do so again, and I will make sure that you NEVER  
forget it. Understood?"  
  
Geoffry returned his father's glare with one just as fierce. Fighting to regain control  
over his voice, he said icily, "You know, I admired you, you know that?" Ignoring his  
father's surprised look, he continued. "I wanted to be worthy of being your son, I wanted  
to be just like you. That's why I'm what I am now, I LIVED to be like you! And now...  
now, I realize just how stupid I was. You're a nothing...you're an ancient relic, a  
storybook hero romanticized by myths! Well, you know what?" he said, his voice becoming  
a high and hysterical pitch, "well, now I see that I don't need you! I never needed you!  
You're just like the rest!" he finished, spitting in his father's face. Smirking at the  
horror on Zechs' face, and turned and ran out of the room.  
  
The room was silent after the confrontation. Up in the balcony, where everyone else had  
gathered, Noin uttered a choked sob, and Relena put her arms around her. As the two  
women comforted each other, everyone else turned to study the scene below.  
  
Zechs' mask had slipped. Each word that his son had hurled had been like a dagger to his  
heart. Fighting the regain his composure, he turned and leaned against the railing,   
breathing heavily. Duo got up from his position by his son's prone body and put a hand  
on Zechs' shoulder, trying to comfort him. Then he sighed and, with one arm supporting  
Jerry and the other around the shoulder of Giselle, he left to join the others, leaving  
Zechs to himself. 


	10. Part Ten: A Single Shining Star What Wer...

Chapter 20  
  
Reena lay curled in a ball in a small and dark cell. Sobs shook her body as she squeezed  
her eyes shut and tried to ignore the pain...pain within her, and the physically inflicted  
damage.  
  
flasback...  
  
Reena felt a throbbing ache in her head that brought her back to consciousness. Groggily,  
she opened her eyes. "Ugh...where am I?"  
  
"And so the little princess awakes!" a voice sneered. Reena felt herself dragged  
to her feet. "It's about time!"  
  
"Who...who are you?" Reena murmured, shaking her head, hoping to rid herself of the  
blurriness in her vision.  
  
A slap. Another.  
  
"OW!"  
  
Blinking furiously, Reena attempted to focus. When her eyes finally did choose to cooperate,  
she saw a young man was forcefully holding her by the arm. Suddenly, she remembered what   
had happened.  
  
"So you've finally figured it out," the soldier said coldly, noting the change in  
her eyes. He shook her. "Snap out of it, you bitch! The Colonel wants to talk to you.  
Now MOVE!" he snarled, shoving her in front of him with a gun.  
  
After a few minutes of walking, Reena was shoved into a room. Inside were a few more  
soldiers, one of them about the age of her father. From the way the others treated him,  
she correctly guessed that he was the Colonel.  
  
"Sir, I have brought the prisoner," the soldier said, saluting smartly.  
  
The Colonel nodded in a bored way. "Very good. Dismissed."  
  
The door shut behind her.  
  
Reena stared at the men, trying to appear defiant. The men stared back. Finally, one of   
them said,  
  
"Sir, would this be the daughter of Zechs Merquise and Lucrezia Noin?"  
  
The Colonel contined scrutinizing her with narrowed eyes. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and  
he began to smirk. The smirk soon burst into loud, mocking, laughter.  
  
"This one? Oh yes, she is. But not quite the way you think."  
  
"...Sir?"  
  
"Look closely," the Colonel ordered. "Who do you think that is?"  
  
"Sir, the reports say that the Merquise's sent two children to be trained: Aelis,  
age 23, and Geoffry, age 14," another soldier recited.  
  
"And there is a third child, is there not? One whose body I've seen plastered on  
the walls of most of your rooms?"  
  
Silence. Then,  
  
"Sir...but...you cannot possibly mean that this...this is..." a soldier sputtered.  
  
The Colonel laughed again, then grabbed Reena by the hair. She let out a gasp of surprise.  
  
"Look closely," the Colonel said icily, tracing her jawline. "Aelis Merquise and  
Reena Merquise may be twins, but close observation shows that Aelis has larger eyes,  
a more prominent chin, somewhat thicker eyebrows, and a more delicate nose." The hand  
continued to Reena's chest. Smiling grimly at her discomfort, he continued. "Her  
breasts are not quite as large as this, her stomach more toned, and her hips a little  
narrower. Her legs are also a little shorter. Therefore," he said, now addressing Reena,   
"you, gentlemen, are not staring at Miss Aelis Merquise, Gundam pilot, but Miss Reena   
Merquise, the renowned supermodel. Am I correct, Miss Merquise?" he finished with a leer.  
  
"You seem to have observed my SISTER quite closely," Reena snarled furiously,  
glaring at him. What a pervert! she thought, fearing for her sister. This guy is  
obsessed with her!  
  
The Colonel only smiled. "But of course," he said smiling. "I think that she may be  
quite...useful...to us. And judging from the fact that she has a little beloved twin  
sister, it is only logical that I had to study her closely. Very...closely."  
  
"Pervert!" Reena said angrily, struggling against him.  
  
"Mm...I don't think so, Miss Reena." He held her close to him for a few more  
seconds, just enough to make her squirm, then flung her to the floor. "I am much more  
controlled than my men are, as I'm sure you will find out." Turning to leave, he said  
over his shoulder, "Soldiers, despite your comrades' failure in protecting our bases and  
supply ships, I congratulate you on this success. Feel free to reap the benefits."  
  
The door shut.  
  
end flasback  
  
Reena continued to sob, now even more aware of the pain of her bruised breasts and the  
soreness between her legs. Her naked body shuddered against the cold hard cement floor.  
  
"Daddy...Mommy..." she moaned, "I'm so alone and frightened! Aelis? Geoffry?  
Anybody?" She cried some more, and hiccupped.  
  
"Oh Jerry, I'm so sorry! So...so sorry! I love you, but if I don't make it out of  
this alive, please understand! I...I wanted to be with you, to marry you. Now-"  
  
A scuffling sound outside her door jarred her out of her reverie. Reena winced and shut  
her eyes as the door opened. She kept them closed even when the door closed.  
  
Someone hesitated at the threshold of her cell, then walked over to her corner. Reena  
ignored him. She felt the person kneel down and spread her legs. Reena braced herself  
again for-  
  
For a cool wet cloth wiping away the stickiness on her legs?  
  
Surprised, she opened her eyes. A young man her age was carefully wiping away the grime  
on her body. He had sandy hair and hazel eyes that were full of pity. A soldier, but  
a young one, and apparently a kind one at that.  
  
The soldier moved onto the rest of her body, cleaning her as carefully as he could. Then  
he reached out and propped her up. With eyes carefully averted from her nakedness,  
he dressed her in some spare clothes. "They were my sister's," he said softly, with an  
accent. After the dressing was done, he went back to the door, picked up a bowl of soup,  
and proceeded to feed her. Reena accepted his ministrations.  
  
"Why are you-" she started to ask, but a look from him cut her off. Nervously, he  
glanced back at the door. "You can't give me away," he hissed urgently. Reena quelled her  
curiosity.   
  
Finally, she finished her food. "Thank you," she said softly. The soldier only nodded.  
Then, he was gone.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Zechs continued to stare down at the floor, bracing himself against the railing. Aelis  
carefully got up from her spot on the floor. "...Dad?"  
  
Abruptly, Zechs turned and hugged his daughter fiercely, tears squeezing out from the  
corners of his eyes. "Aelis...I..."  
  
"Oh Daddy, I'm so sorry! I should have known! I-" and Aelis broke down into sobs  
again.   
  
Miss Noin entered the room, and stood in the entryway, a hole in her heart. "What next?"  
she thought bitterly. "I've lost a daughter and a son. What now?"  
  
As she pondered silently, Zechs released his daughter and went to comfort his wife. "Noin...  
he murmured, holding her close, "I didn't know...about Geoffry...OR Reena! What kind of  
a father am I?! I can't see my own children's feelings, their emotions! I didn't know  
Geoffry idolized me; I didn't know that all Reena wanted to do was to prove herself!   
Don't...don't they realize...that they've never had to do that? That we loved them the way  
they were?"  
  
Noin clung to her husband fiercely. "You couldn't have done anything about it. Geoffry was  
always secretive; Reena too. But how could I have missed it? I'm their mother! How could I  
have been so blind?" she choked, beating her fists against his chest. "How, how, how?!" she  
cried angrily, frustrated at herself. Zechs let her cry, then gathered his daughter near  
too, and the family stood silently in their grief.   
  
Up on the balcony, a figure silently watched, then turned away. Muttering furiously under  
his breath, Wuten stomped off to hunt down Geoffry.  
  
elsewhere at Headquarters...  
  
Geoffry stormed around his room, flinging things into a backpack. Ruthlessly sweeping  
away whole shelves of items, his hand grabbed onto something.  
  
It was a picture of his father holding him as a baby.  
  
Geoffry glared at it, then snarled some obscenities and prepared to fling it to the ground.  
  
A hand grabbed onto his wrist.  
  
Geoffry whirled around to stare into the angry eyes of Wuten Chang. "I know what you're  
going to do," Wuten growled, glaring at Geoffry, who glared right back. "Now it's YOUR  
turn to be stupid. Well, I have to admit, that sister of yours may have been foolish,  
but she was brave! You, you're a coward!"  
  
"A coward!" Geoffry shouted, wrenching his wrist free. The picture fell lightly  
onto the bed, forgotten. Advancing on the older boy, Geoffry said, "How am I a coward?!  
I just wanted to be worthy of him! For him to be proud of me! Is that cowardly? Is it  
so terrible to want to be able to live up to your father's standards?!"  
  
"WHAT standards! Zechs-jiisan never HAD standards for you! You're being a selfish  
little boy, putting your family through this! And to insult your own SISTER like that-"  
  
"She deserved it! She nearly jeopardized the entire mission, and don't you even try  
to deny that!"  
  
"Fine, yell and scream at her when she gets back, or should I say, IF she gets  
back! Instead of damning her now, you should be thinking of ways to bring her back! You  
actually think that insulting her is going to help? Don't you realize that her LIFE is  
the one that's in jeopardy now!"  
  
"I DON'T CARE!!" Geoffry roared. He stuck his finger in Wuten's face. "For fourteen  
long, miserable, years, I have been living in a LIE! I've been living my life for one  
fucking person. And now, in this war, he's being foolish! He's being weak! We can't  
AFFORD to worry about these...these...trivial losses-"  
  
"TRIVIAL?! Now you've gone too far!" Wuten snarled, raising a fist. "Come on,  
Geoffry Merquise, Mr. Lightning Count Jr.! Stare at me in the eye and call your sister  
trivial. WELL?!"  
  
Geoffry tried opening his mouth. Then he shut it. Wuten slowly felt his anger die down.  
"Geoffry-"  
  
Geoffry let out a scream that didn't even sound human. Whirling around, he flung  
himself into a wall, and then a desk, and then his chair. Wuten stared. "Geoffry! What  
do you think you're doing?!"  
  
"I HATE IT! I HATE IT!"  
  
"Hate what? Calm down, you're not making any sense!" Wuten managed, ducking to   
avoid Geoffry's flailing body. "What now?"  
  
"Myself! I...I HATE myself! I'm a monster! Aelis was right! I-"  
  
There was a shriek and a crash. Momentarily stunned, Geoffry looked down. During his  
rampage, Eva had quietly entered the room. The shriek had come from her, and the crash  
from a bundle she had been carrying. "Eva?"  
  
Eva stared at him for a little bit, trying to calm her heart down. Usually, she got little  
flutters in her heart whenever she looked at him, but this time, the flutters were different.  
She had to admit, she was actually a little frightened. Geoffry's eyes were haunted, his  
hair was flying out from its usually neat ponytail, and his clothes were dirty. However,  
she forced herself to speak.  
  
"Thomas," and I, she thought silently, "figured that you would probably try running  
away for a little bit. We, I mean he, prepared some stuff for you..." and she glanced  
balefully at the pack in the corner.  
  
Geoffry felt himself flush with embarrassment, but he snapped out of his trance and  
stuttered, "Um, thank you Eva. I guess Thomas knows me too well." Then he gave her an  
awkward pat on the shoulder.  
  
Eva flinched, though from Geoffry's view, it was because he thought she was frightened of  
him, and he sighed. She forced out a muffled, "You're welcome," and fled the room.  
  
Geoffry stared after her retreating form sadly, then turned to regard Wuten. "See?" he  
said glumly. Wuten smiled thinly and shook his head. "It's okay," he said. "We all  
understand. Why don't you...take a little break. Here...Trowa-jiisan gave this this to me  
on my birthday," and he pressed a set of keys into his eyes. Geoffry frowned, and Wuten   
laughed. "Keys," he said, "to Trowa-jiisan's best motorbike. Oh, and take this too," he   
said, serious. He pulled out a pistol. "Use it well, Geoffry," he said. "Watch your back."  
  
Geoffry took the proffered gun, and carefully tucked it into his belt. "I know. I will."  
  
"Best of luck."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
And Geoffry Merquise was gone. 


	11. Part Eleven: The Consequences of Inexper...

Chapter 21  
  
Aelis wearily slumped into the chair inside the cockpit of Epyon. Ever since she became a  
Gundam pilot, she had often taken refuge inside of Epyon. She liked the privacy, even  
though it was a little cramped, and she felt that by spending time with the thing, she  
could somehow get it to "know" her better. Ever since Quatre had told her how Sandrock  
had somehow spared his life when he had planned on self-detonating, Aelis felt sure that  
whatever technology was in the Gundams made them border on sentience.  
  
Aelis had enjoyed spending time with Epyon. She usually brought a good book or two with her  
to read, or she brought along some of her poetry to work on.   
  
Now, however, she always approached Epyon with dread. Today was no different. Aelis sat  
in the chair, her muscles tense, her breathing labored, waiting. Waiting for-  
  
BEEP BEEP  
  
Grimly, she opened her eyes. A light was flickering on her console. "Incoming message,"  
she murmured, then tapped in a code to access it.  
  
The message popped up on the screen. She read it quickly, already knowing what it would  
say, then closed it. She jumped out of the cockpit and ran off...  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Mariko, Thomas, Eva, Giselle, Rayan, Clare, and Wuli were clustered miserably in Jerry's  
room. Eva sat by her unconscious brother, who was in bed; everyone else was scattered about  
the room. Giselle was still sniffling, and Rayan and Clare were doing their best to  
comfort her. Everyone's eyes looked glazed over.  
  
They turned as the door opened. "Where were you, Wuten?" Thomas asked.  
  
Wuten shut the door. "Shoving some sense into Geoffry's hard head," he responded. Thomas  
raised an eyebrow. "And did you succeed?"  
  
"Depends on your definition of success," Wuten sighed, and shook his head. "Poor  
guy. I feel sorry for him."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"He thinks he's a monster," Eva spoke up quietly. "He hates himself."  
  
Rayan snorted. "Well, no offense, but the way he ranted at his own sister, well, he   
could have fooled me!"  
  
"Isn't that a bit harsh, Rayan?" Mariko asked gently. "He idolized his father, and  
he tried to be like him. What he didn't realize was that he had grossly misinterpreted his  
father. Zechs-jiisan is worthy to be idolized, yes, but not the way Geoffry thought."  
  
"Still, gives him no reason to insult his own sister like that. Speaking of which,  
where are they? Where are Geoffry and Aelis?"  
  
Mariko frowned. "Aelis is probably in Epyon's cockpit, but I don't know about Geoffry."  
  
Wuten cleared his throat. "He's, um, not here."  
  
"Excuse me?" Wuli demanded. "What do you mean, he's not here?"  
  
Thomas groaned. "Let me guess, he ran away."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Thomas threw up his hands in frustration. "That's just like him! Whenever something was  
frustrating him when we were little kids, he'd go and run off somewhere. He always tries  
to isolate himself. Huh, you'd figure that after spending so many years with ME he'd  
gotten over that habit of his."  
  
There was a knock on the door, and Wufei came in. "Jerry still out cold?" he asked,  
nodding at the supine figure in the bed.  
  
"Hello, Tousan. And yes, he's definitely still out," Wuten said.  
  
Wufei's mouth twitched as he looked around the room. "Where're Aelis and Geoffry?"  
  
Silence  
  
Wuli nudged Thomas. "He's YOUR friend," he mouthed.   
  
Thomas rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically. "Er, Wufei-jiisan, he's  
not here."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
Every single (conscious) occupant of the room jumped. Wufei looked furious. "Explain!  
Where are they?!"  
  
"We think Aelis is with Epyon, and um, Geoffry ran away," Mariko said quickly,  
hoping to pacify the Chinese man.  
  
It didn't work. Wufei nearly tore out his hair in frustration. "Ran away?! RAN AWAY?!  
Do you have any idea how serious this is?!"  
  
"Tousan, he's armed, he's got supplies and food, and I lent him my motorbike,"  
Wuten said, hoping that that would calm his father down.  
  
His words had the exact opposite effect. Wufei turned on his son. "You...you AIDED him  
in this escapade of his?! How could you possibly be so STUPID?" he shouted.  
  
Wuten was stung. "I was trying to do the right thing," he said stiffly, resisting the  
urge to shout back. "He needed time off-"  
  
"NO NO NO! Do you realize what you've done? Geoffry is out there alone! Do  
you actually think the Neo-Rommefeller is just going to let him sit out there? NO!   
Haven't you figured it out that they MONITOR our activity? They KNOW he's out there  
alone!"  
  
Wuten bit his lip. He hadn't thought of that, but he still didn't think he deserved to  
be humiliated in front of all his friends.  
  
Thomas saw the look on Wuten's face and stepped up. "Wufei-jiisan, I'm to blame too.  
I knew he would pull a stunt like this, and I didn't tell anyone. I was the one that  
prepared the supplies for him."  
  
"And I prepared the food," Eva said meekly, also standing up.  
  
Wufei was seeing red. "I...don't...believe...this..." he growled to himself. Inside, he   
was screaming with frustration. How could they possibly not considered that option? he   
thought angrily. It was common sense!  
  
Because they really don't know better, a voice sang in his head. They weren't  
brought up to fight; they were never SUPPOSED to even fight.  
  
A knock on the door interrupted the tense situation. "What?" Wufei snarled.  
  
The door opened. "Is that any way to greet your wife?" Meilai asked sarcastically,  
stepping in. Wufei snorted. "Onna, we have a situation here. Pleasantries, for the  
time being, will be temporarily absent."  
  
"The name is Meilai, and of course I know we have a situation here!" she shot  
back. "Aelis is missing-"  
  
"WHAT?! Not her too!" Wufei shouted incredulously. "Geoffry-"  
  
"TOO?! Just exactly what do you mean, 'too?'"  
  
"Meilai, perhaps I should ask, WHICH situation are you talking about?"  
  
Meilai looked dazed. "Which...situation...Oh God!" She finally shook herself out of it.  
"Wufei, follow me. I'll explain it to you."  
  
"Um, should we come?" Thomas asked nervously, eyeing Wufei nervously.  
  
Meilai laughed harshly. "You'd better. All of you." Turning around briskly, she ran  
back down the hall, Wufei at her heels.  
  
The teenagers all looked at each other. Rayan shrugged. "C'mon, let's go hear some more  
good news," he said sarcastically, and left. The rest followed. 


	12. Part Twelve: An Eye for an Eye, a Twin f...

Chapter 22  
  
Zechs glared at the smoking monitor, a gun in his hand. His fists shook, and he  
felt like killing someone. Noin stood right by him, trying to decide whether to break  
down and sob or join her husband on a killing frenzy. The other Gundam pilots were at  
various consoles, each doing a different task, each filled with the same feeling of  
desperation. They were so frantic that when Wufei and Meilai returned, the only one who  
bothered looking up to acknowledge them was Reiming.  
  
"Reiming, what's happened to Aelis?" Wufei demanded.  
  
Reiming jerked her head towards a monitor. "45 minutes ago, the hangar cameras caught this  
image," she said, indicating. "Here, we see Aelis in Epyon's cockpit. She jumps out and  
leaves. Twenty minutes later, the computers record that a single shuttle has departed.  
However, it did not read this data until we had taken a closer look at it. Originally, it  
duplicated an entry from late last night, when an escort was sent to retrieve Mariemaia.  
We wouldn't have noticed it until we saw that TWO entries were recorded: one in the   
normal log; one hidden under a different name in a different file.  
  
"I had noticed a few days ago that Aelis had become unusually quiet. After  
thinking about it some more, I realized that her moodiness had begun almost immediately  
after her first mission. Today, when I was combing through the logs and found this  
double entry, I began to look for Aelis' images on the security cameras. If you zoom in,"  
and Reiming did likewise, "you will notice the agitated expression on her face. So, being  
the nosy person I am, I accessed all of Epyon's logs, which WERE displayed on that   
monitor," and she gestured to the smoking one. "Here, I'll pull it up again."  
  
Reiming tapped in a few commands, and a list popped up. She selected one. "Here's the  
one that was sent today."  
  
"To Miss Aelis Merquise, the little Countess of Lightning," Wufei read. "My dear  
Miss Merquise, it really was quite clever of you to substitute your dear twin sister  
Reena on your little mission today. My soldiers would like to extend their thanks; they  
found her quite the delicacy. However, we can't always have what we want, and I have  
made the difficult decision to return this delightful dish in return for a tastier one.  
Therefore, I offer you this proposal: Come join me; I promise you that it will be quite  
the experience. Of course, you may always decline, in which case, I can make no promises  
about your sister's physical health, nor her mental health. After all, her cell door  
can only last so long against the ardent admiration my soldiers experience for her. Who  
knows, I may accidentally give away the password, and then who knows what would happen to  
her? I cannot allow there to be distractions to my soldiers; I would have to eliminate her,  
should the need arise. If you value your sister's existence in this world, you will depart  
for the included coordinates immediately, where you will receive further instruction.  
Please do not think me rude to force anything upon you; this is completely up to you.  
Regards, your eternal admirer, Colonel C. Nicolae."  
  
"DAMN HIM!" Zechs roared, shaking in pain and fury. "How could he...How DARE he  
do this!"  
  
Noin's reaction was not much better. "I'll kill him," she said quietly to herself. "I'll  
kill him with my bare hands. I'll take that little neck of his and-"  
  
"Miss Noin! Zechs! Please, control yourselves!" Quatre pleaded. "This isn't  
going to help us get Reena or Aelis back safely-"  
  
"Safe? Safe? Do you really think that Nicolae's going to let them out alive?"  
Zechs said, his voice hysterical. "Do you even know what he's like? Nicolae's-" and he  
cut himself of, cursing himself.  
  
Heero looked up. "Zechs...Noin...Do you know who Nicolae is?"  
  
They refused to answer. "Who is Nicolae?!" Heero repeated sharply, but then Wufei cleared  
his throat. "If you won't answer that, then answer this: If this Nicolae had the   
opportunity to hurt you personally, would he take it?"  
  
"Yes," Noin said quietly. "Yes, he would; he wouldn't hesitate. Why?"  
  
"Oh...shit..." Thomas murmured, realizing what Wufei had meant. "Geoffry..."  
  
Reiming cocked her head. "Geoffry? By the way, where is he?" she asked.  
  
"FUCK!" Wufei roared, furiously pounding commands into the console. "Geoffry...  
where the hell are you?" he growled, his eyes frantically searching the contents on the  
monitor. "Flight logs...Mech stats...Cameras! Inner cameras, perimeter cameras...Who the  
hell made this so damn complicated?!"  
  
"Wufei! Calm down! Just tell us what happened to Geoffry!" Duo said impatiently,  
joining the fray. "Get it over with!"  
  
"Geoffry...is...not...here..." Wufei snarled, still searching. "He ran off, and  
no thanks to these young people here! Gave him a motorbike, food, and supplies my ASS!"  
  
"WHAT? Are you saying that he's run away?!" Noin cried. "Oh no! Why now?!"  
  
Zechs was frozen. "Geoffry..." he said hoarsely. "No..."  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"REENA!"  
  
Aelis ripped her arm away from the soldier's grip and ran to her sister. "Reena, oh  
Reena!" she moaned, burying her face in her sister's dirty hair. "Reena, speak to me!"  
  
The soldier yanked her up. "She's sedated!" he snapped, dragging her away from her  
sister's form on the grass. "Now get over here!"  
  
"No! Not until I know she's okay! That was the deal!" Aelis cried, struggling  
against him. "Oof!" she gasped as her rammed his knee into her stomach. Aelis  
doubled over in pain and landed near her sister.  
  
Reena's eyelids fluttered. "...Aelis?" she whispered hoarsely. Aelis gasped. "Reena?"  
  
"Aelis...watch out...for him..."  
  
"Him? The one...who's been sending me letters?" Aelis said fearfully.  
  
"Yes...He's sick...a sick, sick pervert," she whispered, her head lolling back, the  
sedatives refusing to relinquish their hold on her. The soldier grabbed Aelis again.  
"No! Reena!" Aelis cried, reaching out for her sister. Their outstretched hands brushed  
each other, clung to each other. "I love you," Reena murmured, then her eyes brightened.  
"He...he will help you," she whispered fiercely. "Ask him...he's kind. He helped me;  
he'll help you too. Look for him..." and her eyes closed.  
  
"Him? Should I fear him, or trust him? I don't understand! REENA!" Aelis  
screamed as four soldiers finally dragged her away.  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
Jerry's eyes opened. His blurred vision fogged up, then slowly started to clear.   
"Reena..." he moaned. Groaning, he sat up and tried to clear his head of the nightmares...  
nightmares of pain, of loneliness, of fear. "Oh Reena," he sighed, then began to sob.  
"Reena...be safe. Please, stay alive!" Then his eyes hardened. "She's alive," he  
murmured, frowning. "She's free...but where? Reena, where are you?"  
  
at the same time...  
  
"You promised to take care of her!" Aelis spat at the soldiers. Never mind she  
was cuffed hand and foot; she would not let the scum who abused her sister so badly  
intimidate her.   
  
"She was quite the delicacy..." the words echoed in her head. "No!" she said,  
shaking her head fiercely, then resumed glaring. "You said you would make sure she  
was safe!"  
  
A soldier slapped her across the face. Aelis tasted blood in her mouth, but she still  
kept her defiant glare. "How is lying out in the middle of nowhere taking care of her?!"  
  
"If your parents are as great as they make themselves sound, they will find her,"  
he answered her coldly, then cuffed her again. "Now shut up!"  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Everyone in the room was in shock. "No..." Quatre choked in horror. "Geoffry too?"  
  
Reiming stared at her brother. "It...it gets worse," she finally said. Wufei turned to  
her wearily. "How? How could it possibly be worse?"  
  
"Today's entry was not the only message Nicolae has sent her," Trowa spoke up.  
"Here...see for yourself."  
  
Meilai crossed over to where Wufei was. "But, this first entry arrived the day after her  
first mission! In fact," she said, noting the time, "it arrived BEFORE she came back to  
Headquarters!"  
  
"My dearest, sweetest, Miss Merquise. You put on quite the show today, with your  
little acrobat friend. While I have my suspicions on who your comrade in arms was today,  
I have no definite proof of his or her identity. But you, on the other hand...my my,  
aren't we the little beauty? I just love how dazzling your shining blue eyes look in this  
camera image. Note the angle that it catches you at, with your tousled hair, smooth skin,  
curvy hips and rounded breasts...imagine the fun I'd have all evening if you were mine,  
with your sweet lips pressed against mine...But alas, you are so close, yet so far away.  
Adieu for now, my sweet. I am sure we shall meet again. Sincerely, Colonel Nicolae," Duo  
read with a disgusted sneer. "If there ever was any person in this universe that  
deserved to go to hell, it would be this guy. Just what kind of sick-minded pervert is  
he?!"  
  
"And now he has her," Meilai said in a dull voice. She closed her eyes. "Aelis,  
you poor thing..."  
  
"Oh, Aelis, Reena," Noin said, choking back a sob. "My dear, sweet, children...Why  
must you suffer such a fate?"  
  
"We'll get them back," Heero said flatly, turning back to his console. His eyes  
were cold. "We'll get them back, all three of them. And when we do," and his voice  
became dangerous, "we'll help you kill the bastard." 


	13. Part Thirteen: Arrival of Allies Reena's...

Chapter 23  
  
Reena's eyelids flickered, then opened. "Ugh..." she moaned, dizzy and nauseous.  
  
"Shh...It's okay. Stay still, Reena-chan," a voice comforted.  
  
"Jake! Jake!" There was another voice.  
  
"She's okay! I've found her!"  
  
Footsteps, then, "Oh, the poor thing! Look at her!"  
  
"Yes, I know...But she'll be safe now."  
  
Reena tried to focus on the speakers, but couldn't quite succeed. "Who...who are...you?"  
she murmured, not quite awake yet.  
  
"Friends, Reena-chan. Don't worry, you'll be fine now."  
  
"But...Aelis..."  
  
"Aelis? Jake, what does she mean?"  
  
"I don't know...Let's wait until we ask Lady Une."  
  
Reena felt herself lifted. "It's going to be okay," a voice soothed. "Everything's going  
to be okay now."  
  
"Everything's going to be okay..." Reena thought to herself sleepily, and tried to  
smile. "That's right...We'll get Aelis back; that pervert of a Colonel won't be able to  
touch her. Jerry, oh Jerry, wait just a little longer. I'm coming back..."  
  
at the same time...  
  
"Jerry! You're up!" Giselle greeted cheerfully when she came to check up on him.  
She frowned. "Hey, what's with the goofy look on your face?"  
  
"Reena! She's okay!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Jerry grinned. "I just know it. She's in good hands now. She's coming back!"  
  
Giselle shook her head. Poor guy! she thought. That knock on the head must have really  
damaged his sanity! "Jerry-" she started to say, but a commotion behind her cut her off.  
  
"Giselle! Giselle!"  
  
"Clare? What is it?"  
  
Clare dashed in front of her, bouncing and grinning like an idiot. "Guess what!   
Mariemaia and Jake have finally arrived, and they've found Reena!"  
  
"WHAT?! How?!"  
  
"I dunno, but she's back! That's all that counts, right?"  
  
"WOO-HOO!"  
  
Both girls jumped at the shriek of joy behind them, then quickly leaped to the side as a  
blur came crashing past them...literally. Jerry hadn't known just how dizzy he was, and  
evidently, he had learned the hard way.  
  
Giselle winced. "Ow...That had to hurt..."  
  
But regardless, it certainly hadn't affected Jerry much. Scrambling to his feet, he  
raced down the hallway.  
  
The girls stared at his receding figure, then shrugged. "Er...why don't we go join him?"  
Clare suggested, and they followed.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Back off everyone! Come on, move it! Give them some air!" Lady Une tried to say  
severely, but not quite succeeding. "Really! This isn't helping!" she said, exasperated.  
  
Her words had little impact. Noin was crying with relief; Zechs couldn't stop smiling;  
everyone else was impossibly cheerful. Eva and Thomas especially were ecstatic, and even  
Heero was smiling. Unfortunately, they were also forming a very effective roadblock for  
the somewhat exasperated Preventer doctors, who were impatiently waiting to take Reena to  
the infirmary.  
  
Mariemaia laughed at her mother's frustration. "Relax, Mother. It's been awhile since  
they've had good news," she chuckled, but went to clear the way for her husband Jake, who  
was carrying the sleeping Reena. "Come on, she has a point. Reena needs medical  
attention, and she can't do it if you're all mobbing her!"  
  
No sooner had she said those words, a blurred shape came racing by her, nearly running  
her over. Next thing she and her surprised husband knew, Reena had been plucked out from  
Jake's arms.  
  
"Reena! Reena, speak to me! Reena, tell me that you're okay!" Jerry said  
frantically, looking down at his girlfriend's pale face. "Jerry!" Lady Une started to  
scold, but Mariemaia shook her head. "Leave him, Mother. He needs to make sure the love of  
his life is okay."  
  
Reena opened her eyes. "Jerry..." she whispered, her eyes filling. "I'm...I'm okay..."  
  
"Reena," he said, his voice broken. "Oh baby, welcome back. I'm so sorry...that  
I couldn't protect you."  
  
"It wasn't your fault; it was mine. Oh Jerry, I...I'm so sorry I worried you!"  
and she started to cry. "Jerry, I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Reena," Jerry said, also tearing up. "Reena..."  
  
"Ahem."  
  
Jerry looked up, embarrassed. "I'm afraid you'll have to share your affections later, but  
for now, Reena needs to be examined," Jake said kindly, taking back Reena.  
  
Reena protested. "It's okay, I can walk-oops!" she finished, her knees buckling under her.  
  
Jake laughed. "Or...not..." she said sheepishly, and allowed herself to be carried away.  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
"I see..." Mariemaia said quietly, nodding her head. "So that's what she meant  
by Aelis. That means Aelis is in the hands of the Neo-Rommefeller, and Geoffry is  
missing?"  
  
Lady Une nodded wearily. "That is correct. I've already shown you the messages Colonel  
Nicolae sent her; needless to say, we are not very optimistic about her situation."  
  
"Nicolae..." Jake murmured, worried. "You know, that name concerns me a little.  
Mariemaia and I COMBED the colonies in our searches, but we never found that name. He's  
clearly a high-ranking officer; I wonder how many others there are that we don't know  
about..."  
  
"This is war. We won't always find out everything," Mariemaia said tiredly. "But  
I still feel like a failure..."  
  
"Don't feel that way," Lady Une said. "You tried your best. You both did. You  
found Reena, and since we're on that subject, how DID you find her?"  
  
"Aelis is a clever girl. It appeared that she had taken a shuttle to some  
location, then took a taxi to the rendezvous point. We found the shuttle, actually. While  
she had activated the shuttle's cloaking technology so she couldn't be found, once she  
got in the cab, she activated a small tracer. About a mile from the site, she disabled it.  
While we were on our way to Preventer headquarters, we picked up the signal. We stopped  
first where she had first activated it, recognized the shuttle as government property, and  
followed the trail. In fact, when we first reached the dead end, we were confused, but  
then we realized that the only real landmark within a mile radius was the Lake Victoria  
Base, so we went there, and found her."  
  
"Lake Victoria Base..." Lady Une said to herself.  
  
Jake frowned. "But I'm still confused about that. Why the Base?"  
  
"Jake...Mariemaia...I don't know the details, but it seems like Nicolae has a   
personal grudge against both Preventers Wind and Fire, but they refuse to tell me what it  
is."  
  
"Could they have been classmates? I'll check..." and Mariemaia ran a listing.  
"No match..." she read. "Is it an alias?"  
  
"Could be. Who knows?" Lady Une said, throwing up her hands. "The only thing we  
know about Nicolae is that he's ruthless and perverted. That's it."  
  
"Well then, our next mission is obvious," Jake said, his eyes glinting. "We find   
out who this guy is, and then," and he snapped his fingers, "he's gone."  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Out! Family only!"  
  
"But...but..."  
  
"No buts! Out!" and Reiming slammed the door in Jerry's face. "Hey, I'm her  
fiancee!" he shouted through the door.  
  
"And I'm the unofficial doctor, and I say family only!" came the response. Jerry  
sighed, and began to sulk. "No fair..."  
  
Thomas laughed. "Deal with it, Bro. You'll have the rest of your lives together when  
she's a Maxwell, but for now, she's a Merquise, and don't think Zechs-jiisan is going to  
let you forget that!"  
  
"Yeah yeah...I know I know. Don't rub it in," he grumbled.  
  
inside...  
  
"Well?" Zechs demanded. "How is she?"  
  
"Healthy enough, considering what she's been through. Not undernourished; not  
dehydrated; fairly clean...in fact, she's even wearing some extremely nice clothes,"  
Reiming added, glancing at the pile of clothes on the floor. A nurse came forward to  
throw the clothes out, but Reiming stopped her. "No, not yet. I want to examine these a  
bit first," she said.  
  
Noin frowned. "Why?"  
  
Reiming picked up a sweater. "There's a tag in here...it says 'Sasha R. W.' Would have  
been better if it had been a LAST name, but it's better than nothing."  
  
"Do you think you could possibly ID it?"  
  
"Won't hurt to give it a try. And somehow, I don't think any of this fits.   
Judging from what we know of Nicolae's character, he wouldn't have treated her so well.  
She hasn't lost any weight, and she's wearing extremely expensive brand name clothes. It  
doesn't fit. She's clearly been abused. There are signs of bruising on her breasts, and  
well, her hymen is no longer intact, but we had already expected that..."  
  
Noin and Zechs both closed their eyes briefly at the mention of the rape. Reiming sighed  
sympathetically. "I don't know how much comfort this is, but we've tested her for STD's.  
She doesn't seem to have any."  
  
"That's...good..." Zechs forced out, then turned away. "Excuse me," he said in a  
husky voice, and abruptly went into the next room, where Reena was.  
  
Noin stared at her husband's back. "Oh Zechs..." she sighed.  
  
In the next room, Zechs looked down sadly at his daughter's sleeping form. His gaze then  
traveled to the IV in her arm, and the various machines monitoring her vital signs.  
He hesitantly reached out to stroke her face. "My little girl..." he murmured, caressing  
her cheek. "Why did you have to get involved in this?"  
  
"...Daddy?"  
  
"Reena!"  
  
"Daddy...I'm sorry," Reena said quietly, ashamed. "I messed everything up..."  
  
"Actually, you didn't. You did quite well," he said wryly. "Your disk provided the  
most information, which is ironic..."  
  
Reena tried to smile, but then said, "Then why did the mission mess up?"  
  
"We don't know, sweetie. But we know that it wasn't your fault, or Giselle's.   
The alarms sounded from the outside."  
  
"...You blame Jerry, don't you?"  
  
Zechs sighed. "Reena...I know you're no longer a little girl anymore. You've grown up.  
You'll be married soon. But you have to understand, I'm your father. I will always see  
you as my little Reena. I can still remember the day you were born. You looked just like  
your aunt, and I held you in my arms just like I had done with your Aunt Relena. Your  
aunt can vouch for this: I've always been extremely protective of her. It took me many  
years to come to accept the fact that she had fallen in love, just like you have. I felt  
unnecessary. Now, it's the same with you. You look just like her, but you're not my  
sister, you're my dear daughter. And now, you're going to leave me too..."  
  
"Daddy..."  
  
"Wait, I'm almost done. Your Uncle Heero and I used to hate each other. It was  
hard for me to accept him, but I did anyway. I entrusted my baby sister to him to love  
and protect, and he hasn't disappointed me. Now it's the same with you, only I've watched   
Jerry grow up, which is more than I can say for your uncle. I've seen him grow from a   
mischievous little boy to a true man, and though I don't like to admit it, I like him. I   
know he loves you, and when the time comes, I will let take over as your protector, even   
though I know he's already been doing that all his life. And you know what? Just as your   
Uncle Heero has loved and protected your Aunt Relena, I know that Jerry will be equally   
successful. Jerry hasn't disappointed me yet, and I don't think he ever will. I...I don't   
blame him for what happened. Who is there to blame? He and Geoffry were both out there,   
doing their jobs. If anything, us parents deserve the blame. We underestimated the   
Neo-Rommefeller's arsenal of weapons, and we didn't prepare them well enough. But no, I   
don't blame Jerry."  
  
Reena smiled. "Thanks, Dad. That means a lot to me."  
  
Zechs smiled and kissed her forehead. "Now, young lady, your mother will be coming in to  
see you later, but for now, you get some rest, you hear?"  
  
Reena groaned. "Dad...I'm not five years old anymore..." she whined. Zechs just laughed.  
"What did I just tell you? I'll always see you as my little girl."  
  
"Goody..."   
  
"Good night, Reena."  
  
"Night Dad. It's good to be back," she said, sounding more like her old self.  
  
Zechs smiled at his daughter lovingly. "I know...Sweet dreams," he said, and switched off  
the light. 


	14. Part Fourteen: Nicolae's Revenge Mariko ...

Chapter 24  
  
"WE HAVE THE LITTLE PRINCE."  
  
Lady Une stared at the message. Blinked. Stared some more. It was still there.  
  
A door opened. "Mother?"  
  
It was Mariemaia. Concerned, she walked over to where Lady Une was sitting dumbly and  
staring at her screen. Mariemaia's look of gentle concern soon hardened into cold fury.  
  
"They work fast," was all Lady Une said.  
  
Mariemaia nodded. "Indeed."  
  
"So then, who should I bestow the honor upon to notify Wind and Fire?"  
  
Mariemaia's mouth twitched. "Not me."  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
"Why is it always me?!" Mariemaia sighed to herself, staring at the retreating  
forms of Zechs and Noin. They had, expectedly, not reacted well to the news of their son's  
kidnapping. Sighing once again, she quickly ran forward to intercept them. "Zechs-sama,  
Noin-sama-"  
  
"Move," Zechs growled, staring straight ahead. Noin nodded grimly.  
  
Mariemaia took a deep breath. "Fine, just what do you think you're going to do? Storm  
their base? WHAT base? WHICH base, is more like it. And do you think that that is going  
to get Geoffry back? I understand your concern-"  
  
"No you don't," Noin said softly, shaking her head. "You couldn't possibly-"  
  
They were interrupted by Quatre. Mariemaia breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
Quatre smiled sympathetically at the younger girl, then said firmly, "Zechs, Noin, with  
all due respect, please control yourselves right now. We are receiving a transmission   
from the Neo-Rommefeller right now." Here he hesitated. Finally, he said, "I believe  
Nicolae wants to speak to you."  
  
There was silence. Zechs' hands were clenched into fists; Noin stared straight ahead with  
steely eyes. Finally, Zechs said, "Fine. Let's go."  
  
The two stalked off, leaving a frustrated Quatre and Mariemaia in their wake.  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
"We cannot possibly agree to your demands! Put the inhabitants of Earth and the  
colonies under your control?!"  
  
Relena felt like screaming. It had been at least a decade since she had had to deal with  
such nonsense. Ever since the last attempt at a coup, people had realized that one:   
peace could only be maintained if everyone cooperated, and two: anyone stupid enough to   
even try to stage a coup would have a heck of a time at it. Unfortunately, as always,  
time always dulled the memories of people, and it seemed like the endless waltz was  
beginning anew.  
  
"It is not much to ask, Mrs. Yuy," Nicolae tsked, smiling. "Admit it: You have not  
been able to be rid of all dissension. There are many still out there that question this  
little proposal of yours, with your disintergrating of all borders, elimination of all  
arms-Oh pardon me," he said sarcastically, "the elimination of all arms except for a select  
few!"  
  
"A necessary precaution, and that is all!" Relena snapped, her patience wearing  
thin. "They have not been used; the majority of the weapons remain in storage, as I'm  
sure you undoubtably realized when you raided the Preventer bases!" Oh why, why, why?  
Relena thought to herself angrily. Why won't some people listen to reason. When the  
transmission had first been put through, everyone had immediately elected Relena to  
communicate with him, in part to try to obtain information, and in part to stall until  
Zechs and Noin could be calmed down enough to speak to him.  
  
When the doors behind her finally opened, Relena breathed an inner sigh of relief. Zechs   
and Noin had finally arrived; perhaps now they could get down to business.  
  
Or maybe that was too much to hope for. Both Zechs and Noin froze when they saw Nicolae,  
and then,  
  
"Ah! Merquise! Noin! It is a pleasure to see you again!" Nicolae called out in  
mock friendliness. Continuing, he said, "Simply wonderful children you have, by the way.  
Your eldest daughter-"  
  
"Where are my children?" Noin said coldly, glaring at him.  
  
Nicolae pretended to be hurt. "Why, Noin, we haven't seen each other in two decades.  
Surely you could be a little more polite to your old friend?"  
  
"Skip the pleasantries, Nicolae," was Noin's response. "I want Aelis and Geoffry  
back, and I want them back now. Where are they?!"  
  
Nicolae smirked. "Ah yes, it hurts now, doesn't it?" he sneered, finally dropping his  
mask of sugary politeness. "To have the fruits of your womb stolen from you, one  
permanently sullied, the other two with questionable fates?"  
  
"Is that it, then? You do all of this, just for your pitiful revenge against  
us? This whole war, just for us? You flatter us," Zechs spoke up with disgust.  
  
Nicolae laughed. "Revenge? Yes, partly." His eyes narrowed. "You two RUINED me. You  
destroyed ANY chance I would ever have for glory. I watched from the shadows as you two  
both rose to prosperity, and the only reason you were there, the only reason you were in  
that spotlight, was because you had shoved me out! I was your competition, so you-"  
  
"Stop fabricating lies, Nicolae! You know EXACTLY what you did, and you got  
exactly what you deserved!" Noin shouted. "Why you twisted, little-"  
  
"Now now. Let's not lose our tempers now," Nicolae soothed. As Zechs and Noin  
seethed, he continued, "Yes, well, let us put that part behind us. What I want is what  
I was destined to have. As Dermail's only male descendant, I should hold the reigns of the  
Rommefeller, and yes, I do know that it no longer exists."   
  
Nicolae snorted. "Dermail was an old fool, and if it hadn't been for you two, I would have   
controlled Rommefeller during the Eve Wars. But no matter; I have a second chance now.   
I'll have everything I was destined to have, and," he said, his eyes dangerous, "I ruin YOU   
two in the process." His face twisted. "Feel the pain I did," he hissed. "Feel the   
suffering that you put me through. You two will PAY, and it will be through your children's  
blood! I will personally make sure that-"  
  
There was a gunshot.  
  
Everyone in the room turned around. Jaws dropped. "What...the..." Mariemaia choked.  
  
Mariko Yuy stood there, holding a smoking pistol. "I couldn't take it anymore," she  
said simply. "The garbage he was spewing, I refused to have anyone have to listen to it."  
  
At this, Duo cast a quick sidelong glance at Relena and groaned. If Zechs and Noin had  
been angry, it was nothing compared to the fury that was on Relena's face. Turning to  
face Heero, Relena said sweetly, "Heero, darling, explain. NOW."  
  
It wasn't even a request; it was a command. Riko glanced nervously at her mother.   
"Kaasan-"  
  
"Later." Riko shut her mouth.  
  
Smiling sweetly at everyone, Relena stalked out of the room. "Heero, Riko, outside please.  
We need to have a little 'talk.'"  
  
outside...  
  
"Okay Heero. Let's try this again. How did Riko learn how to operate firearms?"  
  
Heero showed no signs of backing down. "She had to know how to protect herself."  
  
"Heero, dear, didn't we have a little AGREEMENT before she was born? Or does the  
'Perfect Soldier' forget things rather quickly?" Relena sneered, her voice bordering on  
sarcasm.  
  
"Had you known, you would have interfered."  
  
"Interfered?! Is that right, Heero Yuy! I am, after all, just an INTERFERENCE in  
my own daughter's life, right?! I EXPLICITLY told you that Riko was NOT to have any-"  
  
"Open your eyes, Relena! WE are her parents! She could not have possibly gone  
through life innocently and naively in your ideal world!"  
  
"MY ideal world? MINE?! Tell me, is there anything WRONG with peace? Or is it  
just that you've grown up with war so you cannot even DEAL with a life of peace, so  
you decided to CONTAMINATE OUR DAUGHTER'S LIFE with YOUR little 'ideals?'"  
  
"Contaminate?! Relena, I am her father! I am a former gundam pilot! You are  
her mother! You are the Vice-foreign Minister! It is universally expected that Riko is  
to succeed you. We have enemies, Relena, and therefore, our enemies are Riko's enemies.   
Do you know how many people would love to put a bullet through her head? Do you know...how   
many times...I had to save you?" he choked, suddenly realizing that his throat was   
constricting. Shaking himself out of it and donning his Perfect Soldier mask again, he   
continued, "Relena, you thought I had disappeared from your life for a few years after the   
Mariemaia incident. The truth is...I didn't.  
  
"For those long years, I fought to get my humanity back. I had realized...that I  
felt something for you, something more than friendship. But I, as I was, could not make  
you happy. I knew that. So I disappeared, hoping that time would make both of us  
forget about each other.  
  
"It didn't work. I successfully avoided you for a month. But then one day, I  
read in the paper that you were touring the colonies. You would be visitng the colony I  
was staying on. I should have left. I nearly did; I packed my belongings, bought a  
ticket on the next shuttle out. But then, for some reason, I still stayed.  
  
"I remember seeing you. You were surrounded by bodyguards and you were being  
ushered into some auditorium so you could make your speech. I went in ahead and found a  
seat in the back. I nearly ran someone over, who was crouched in the back.  
  
"The person had a bomb, and he was busy planting it in the seats. No one had  
noticed him. I killed him quickly and disabled the bomb. Then, to insure your safety,  
I started a small fire. Everyone evacuated; your speech was postponed to the next week.  
When the event finally occured...I was there. Since then, I was always with you. I watched  
over you, and many times, I picked off various unknown assassins trying to kill you. And  
even as I did so, even as I continued to play a soldier, I slowly gained my humanity back.  
You...you gave me a reason to live, Relena. And so, after many years, when I realized that  
the Perfect Soldier was no more, I revealed myself to you."  
  
Relena closed her eyes briefly, fighting the tears that were threatening to overflow.  
She regained her composure, and said, "Heero...why didn't you ever tell me this?"  
  
"There was no reason to," he sighed. "You were happy thinking that I had  
disappeared from your life in order to regain my humanity, and then came back for you. I  
saw no reason to change your viewpoint. But," he continued, "I realized that you would  
never be completely safe. And so, when Riko was born, I knew she had to know how to  
protect herself. I...I'm not invincible. I can't protect you both forever. And so,  
Riko had to learn."  
  
"You lied to me," Relena said quietly. "You promised me point-blank to my face  
that whatever child we had, he or she would know only a life of peace."  
  
"I didn't know what to do. To tell you my reasons would have meant I would have  
to tell you how many times people had made attempts on your life. It was too complicated."  
  
"So then, you trained Riko," Relena sighed and shook her head sadly. "...Very  
well, then. What's done is done. Please tell Lady Une that Riko will henceforth be  
available as a backup pilot."  
  
"Kaasan, I'm sorry," Riko said quietly. "But...when Tousan offered to train me, I  
couldn't turn down the opportunity. I don't know if I'll ever be as lucky as you, having  
someone like Daddy to protect you. I wanted to be able to depend on myself, and not on  
others."  
  
"Riko, honey, it's okay. I...I'm sorry for not thinking things out thoroughly."  
Relena wearily ran a hand through her hair. "After seeing my father killed in front of me,  
all I ever wanted was to be in a world with peace, where no one would ever have to go   
through the pain I did. But that's never going to happen. Peace will only be achieved as  
long as people are willing to fight to maintain it. I realized that when I was forced to  
ask people to fight during the Barton coup...but I wish I didn't have to do that. So,  
when you were born, some part of me hoped that maybe, just maybe, if you were kept as  
isolated as possible, then you at least would never have to suffer. I'm sorry."  
  
"Mom, it's okay. I understand what you mean. I don't regret being who I am. I  
love peace, but at the same time, I'm willing to fight for it. But I also hate war. I  
hate what it does to people, I hate how it kills people. I still don't like fighting or  
using weapons; I'd rather fight the peaceful way, your way. But, if I have to, I'll fight  
Dad's way too, even if it means having to hurt others. I'll do it for the good of this  
world."  
  
"I know. I'm proud of you, sweetie. But," and Relena turned to glare at Heero,  
"your father is still sleeping on the floor tonight!"  
  
"Hn," was all the Perfect Soldier said. 


	15. Part Fifteen: Uneasy Metamorphosis A Sis...

Chapter 25  
  
"But honey! I don't WANNA-"  
  
"Sorry, dear. You're not getting anything tonight! Shoo!"  
  
Jake winked at Riko, who was standing in the doorway and blushing furiously. Putting on  
his best puppy face, he said, "Aw...come on Marie! Why don't we have some fun tonight?  
You can put on that really skimpy black and red-"  
  
"Agh! No more, you sick-minded freak!" Mariemaia giggled. "There're going to be  
loud noises coming from the Yuy's room tonight, and I refuse to subject Riko to that  
torture! Sorry, but tonight, you get to spend the night with the guys!"  
  
"Um, Mariemaia-san, it's okay-"  
  
"Haha, don't worry about this big lug!" Mariemaia chuckled, finally shoving Jake  
out the door. "He needs to learn some self-control anyway!" Slamming the door, she  
breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew! That was difficult!"  
  
Riko giggled. "Poor Jake-san! I feel so bad getting between you two."  
  
"It's okay, dear. It's not as if Jake doesn't like spending some time with the  
guys. They'll be up all night. First they'll play some poker. Then they'll drink.  
Then they'll play pool. Then they'll drink some more, and then switch on the TV. By the  
time there's nothing good left on the TV, they'll be so drunk that they won't NEED any  
more entertainment! It's good for him to get away for a little. And besides," she  
continued, putting an arm around Riko's shoulders, "The walls here get a little on the  
thin side, and your room's so close to your parents', so tonight, I think you're better off  
spending the night with me!"  
  
"Thanks, Mariemaia-san. Despite my Kaasan threatening my Tousan with the floor, I  
somehow don't think that that's going to be the story..."  
  
"Say no more! I think we are both FULLY aware of your parents' habits. In fact,  
I think EVERYONE here is going to be migrating AWAY from that particular area of the  
structure tonight!"  
  
Riko cocked her head. "Everyone?"  
  
"Two words: Duo Maxwell."  
  
Riko burst out laughing. "Oh no! What, has he TAPED my parents doing...stuff?" she  
blushed, unable to continue.  
  
Mariemaia chuckled and smiled fondly at the embarrassed girl. "What, sex?" Laughing some  
more at Riko's horrified look, she said, "Don't be so frightened! Your parents ARE  
married! And as for whatever your Uncle Duo's been up to, well, I don't know if he's gone  
THAT far, but it wouldn't surprise me! In any case, he's already spread the word all  
around Headquarters that, 'Tonight, there's gonna be some action in room 01, so for all you  
that value your sleep, be sure to get FAR away! But for those of you who would love to  
get dirt on the Perfect Soldier, stick with me!'"  
  
"Oh, great..."  
  
"It's okay. Your father may be a typical guy when it comes to that particular  
aspect of being married, but he's not stupid. He knows your Uncle Duo well."  
  
"Which is probably why my mother's political career is still intact..."  
  
"Exactly!"  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
"Feel like talking yet?"  
  
Riko started. "You know me too well, Mariemaia-san," she sighed.  
  
Mariemaia smiled sadly at the pensive girl. "Well?"  
  
"Mariemaia-san, I just don't know...Everything's happened so fast! When my  
father first began training me, I thought I was just learning some basic self-defense.  
Even when we began working with mobile suits, I was just like, 'Oh, it's not like I'll  
ever have to USE these skills.' And then now we're in a war. One friend is  
permanently changed; one cousin will be traumatized for the rest of her life; another  
cousin, and incidentally, my best friend, is missing and probably being raped as we  
speak; and now my THIRD cousin has become a victim as well. But that's not all. After  
sneaking around my mother for nearly a decade, it finally just explodes tonight. And  
then, five seconds later, I've been drafted! Mariemaia-san...I'm lost! This...this  
wasn't supposed to happen!"  
  
"Riko! Calm down!"  
  
"How?! How can I calm down?! I'm the pacifist vice foreign minister to be; I've  
been preaching pacifism all my life; and now, this?! I don't know what to do anymore!  
I...I told my mother that I was proud of who I am, but now, as I think about it more and  
more, I feel like a lying hypocrite. Which way am I supposed to go, my mother's way, or  
my father's way? How far CAN I go without sacrificing my pacifist ideals, but how far  
MUST I go to save this peace?"  
  
"Oh Riko...I'm sorry you're confused, but those answers are answers you must find  
on your own. As for your political career, well, I've always hated politics myself, but  
in all honesty, you won't be doing much fighting if we can help it. Lady Une is putting  
together a defense team that consists of our top Preventer pilots each under the   
leadership of one Gundam pilot as well as Jake and I. Just count: There's Heero, Duo,  
Trowa, Reiming, Quatre, Wufei, Meilai, Zechs, Noin, Jake, and me. That's eleven as it is.   
Yes, we do need you; our formation works best with a team of twelve, but if we play our   
cards right, they won't even ever FIND our location. Who knows, we may not even HAVE to  
fight."  
  
Riko laughed softly. "Now THAT, is wishful thinking."  
  
Mariemaia laughed too. "Yes, I know. Cheer up, Riko! There really isn't much you can  
do about the situation now, so why worry about it? Easier said than done, yes, but   
you'll only put unnecessary pressure on yourself.  
  
"Now," Mariemaia continued briskly, "let's talk about something else. Let's see  
now...Oh yes! How's your, ah, love life?" she teased.  
  
Riko rolled her eyes. "Oh you mean, my lack of one?" Wrinkling her nose, she said,   
"They're all the same! 'Oh Miss Yuy, how are you today? My my Miss Yuy, you do look   
lovely in that dress! And oh, by the way, just HOW much are you inheriting from your  
parents? I'm sure your father receives a handsome pension, of course, and how much is   
your mother inheriting from her parents? Of course, I'm sure it'll all go to you, because   
after all, you are a princess by right, but of course, I'm JUST CURIOUS.'   
Disgusting!"  
  
"Hmm...I don't suppose it's a good thing then that you're on the list of, 'Most  
Wanted Bacelorettes of the Century?'"  
  
"What?!?! Since when?!"  
  
"See for yourself!" Mariemaia laughed, tossing a magazine at her. Flipping  
wildly through it, Riko gave out a howl of despair. "What?! How did they get this?" she  
wailed in embarrassment. "Oh, if Jerry got a hold of this, he'd NEVER let me forget it!"  
  
"'Miss Mariko Yuy is without a doubt one of the most desirable young ladies of   
today,'" Mariemaia read. "'A combination of both beauty and brains, this budding young  
politician is rich to boot. The daughter of Mr. Heero Yuy, an ex-Gundam pilot, and Mrs.  
Relena Peacecraft Darlian Yuy, ex-princess and vice foreign minister, Miss Yuy is  
without a doubt a member of the highest social circles. Charming and intelligent, with a  
certain shy air about her, Miss Yuy-'"  
  
"AHH! No more no more!" Riko shrieked, flinging a pillow at Mariemaia. "What's  
wrong?" Mariemaia teased. "I'm sure this will earn you many suitors!"  
  
"Exactly! Empty-headed second-son desperate and greasy jerks who undress you with  
their eyes!"  
  
"So? Just sic your father on them," Mariemaia said innocently.  
  
Riko paused in mid-rant. "Oh...right..." A wicked grin formed on her face. "Hmm...maybe  
I could even ask Tousan to bomb the stupid magazine company that put this out!"  
  
"Now you're talking!"  
  
The two laughed some more, then Riko smiled slyly at Mariemaia. "Well, that's enough about  
ME. What was Jake-san saying about a certain skimpy red and black-OW!"  
  
Riko was abruptly cut off as five pillows went flying at her.  
  
later...  
  
Riko glanced at Mariemaia's sleeping form. Satisfied that the older woman was asleep, she  
finally allowed a tear to slip down her face. Sniffling to herself, Riko whimpered, "Oh  
Aelis, where are you? I wish none of this happened...Then, we could just be at home,  
laughing and talking, just like we used to.  
  
"We were so innocent during the last war. We were young; we didn't even know what  
was going on! And now, all these years later, we're stuck in the middle of it...especially  
you! Oh Aelis!" and Riko started crying into her pillow.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Forget it!"  
  
Just as she had done with her first captors, Aelis was glaring defiantly at the men  
before her. "No, absolutely not! I REFUSE to work with you!"  
  
One of the soldiers threw up his hands in frustration. "Sir, this is a waste of time!  
Why don't we just kill her and get it over with? One less Gundam pilot, and we can make  
an example of her."  
  
"Patience, patience," his superior soothed. Eyeing her hungrily, he sighed and  
said, "Remember, the Colonel has claimed this one as his own. What he wants us to do with  
her, we do, and right now, it is essential that she stays alive."  
  
"But sir! I understand her potential for being useful, but we DO have-"  
  
"Quiet, fool!" he snarled, glancing at Aelis.   
  
At this, Aelis narrowed her eyes. Have? What DID they have? And how exactly was she  
USEFUL?  
  
Once she and her captors had arrived at their destination, she had been shoved off and  
stuck in some cell. She did not have to wait long. Now, she was standing in front of  
these idiots who were trying to buy her cooperation...but cooperation on what? She still  
hadn't been told.  
  
The two soldiers conversed quietly, then nodded. "Very well then, if you will not  
negociate with US, I suppose you will have to deal with the Colonel himself," one said,  
then smiled when he saw her uneasy expression. "Hehe...wishing you had worked with us  
now, aren't you. Too late; the Colonel's been quite eager to see you anyway. Take her  
back to her cell and notify the Colonel that it's his turn."  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
"This is getting old," Aelis muttered, trying to ease some of her fright as she  
paced around the room. "I hate anticipation! Can't I just MEET this Colonel now? He's  
late!" Then she heard footsteps outside. Squeezing her eyes shut in fear, she said,  
"Wait, no! I take that back!" she wailed to herself, trying to ignore her clammy palms,  
her twisting stomach, her-  
  
The door opened.  
  
Aelis turned around. Then she screamed.  
  
The...thing...standing in front of her was more machine than human. It had two  
robotic arms, part of a face seemingly molded onto a metal shell shaped like a human head,  
and wires running over and under the skin of the neck. "So we finally meet," the  
thing rasped. Aelis shuddered. "You...you are...?"  
  
The thing seemed to smile. "You need not fear me for the reasons that you fear Nicolae.  
I am not human enough to still lust after young busty girls. I am the Commander of the  
Neo-Rommefeller."  
  
Shaking off her shock, Aelis whispered, "Then you, are his superior?"  
  
"Yes. He was quite uncooperative with me; he wanted the pleasure of 'interrogating'  
you himself, though I'm sure we both know exactly what he meant by that,' the thing said  
dryly. "No," and the gaze grew cruel and calculating. "No," he repeated, "we have more  
important issues at hand here.  
  
"I'm sure we are both aware of the amount of skill needed to pilot a mobile suit.  
In my youth, I was an excellent pilot. But seeing as I have been reduced to this, I am  
no longer suitable for the job. As a result, I turned to the young, healthy soldiers,  
hoping for better results-"  
  
"Get to the point!" Aelis snapped nervously.  
  
The thing smiled again. "Just like your father," it rasped mockingly. "Young people these  
days...so impetuous and rude. No politeness at all...we'll have to fix that now won't  
we?"  
  
Before Aelis could react, it's arm shot out and grasped her. Electric waves coursed   
through her body. Aelis screamed and then collapsed, gasping and shaking.  
  
The cyborg looked at her coldly. "Let that serve as a warning," he said, then continued  
as if nothing had happened. "But unfortunately, precious few could even pilot a simple  
Leo or Taurus. Almost none could pilot my own created mobile suit..."  
  
As the cyborg rattled on, Aelis managed to cling to the last statement. "His own...  
creation? It's the suit that found Geoffry and Jerry, then! I'll have to tell Lady Une  
when...or IF I make it out alive..."  
  
"-so there had to be an alternative. I decided to revert to the mobile doll  
system. Unfortunately, as time has proven, mobile dolls are no match for your parents,  
and probably not for you either. Then I remembered an event during the end of the Eve  
Wars. Two advanced dolls had been programmed with the flight data of Heero Yuy and  
Trowa Barton, with satisfactory results. I decided to convert my suits into dolls. But,  
I need the flight data, and this, my dear, is where you come in."  
  
Aelis glared up at him. "No," she whispered. "Kill me, torture me, hand me over to  
Nicolae even, if you wish. I won't do it."  
  
The cyborg seemed to sigh. "A pity," he said. "Well, you leave me no choice." Strolling  
over to an intercom, he said, "Put on the images."  
  
As Aelis watched, a monitor switched on. She saw images of a figure curled on the  
floor. Suddenly, soldiers appeared on the scene. One carried what looked to be a rod,  
and others carried clubs and various weapons. The one with the rod went over to the  
figure and gave a vicious kick, then started beating the prisoner with the stun stick.  
The others joined in. The tortured prisoner thrashed about in agony, and seemed to be  
screaming. Slowly, Aelis felt the wind rush out of her. "No...it can't  
be..."  
  
Smiling at her pale face, the cyborg called out, almost cheerfully, "Increase intensity  
and switch on to audio."  
  
Immediately, screams came blasting out over the intercom, but it was nothing compared to  
Aelis' own cry of pain.  
  
"NO!!! No no no! It...it...GEOFFRY!!!" she cried, tears streaming down her  
face. Screaming out in pain, she rushed to the cyborg and grabbed onto its shoulders.  
"Please...no...just stop it...I BEG you," she choked, painfully aware as the screams  
grew louder and the soldiers' laughter mixed in the background. "Please...spare my  
brother," she whispered, falling to her knees and clinging onto his synthetic legs.  
  
"As you can see, your brother was quite uncooperative when we offered him the same  
deal," the cyborg said casually, ignoring the sobbing girl at his feet. "If he won't  
cooperate, then he is of no use to us. What do you think?"  
  
Aelis couldn't manage any words out. She felt as if her heart were being torn apart.  
She continued to cry as the cyborg kept talking.  
  
"Who knows, if he gives in, his mind and body might just be somewhat intact for us  
to make use of it. But your brother is one stubborn little boy. He even managed to kill  
off several of our soldiers. Do you know how we caught him? Quite pathetic, really.  
He had run off on his own, and it was a simple matter of just bringing him back. It's  
too bad he was only armed with a pistol; he picked off every single soldier with deadly  
accuracy until he simply ran out of bullets. He paid dearly for that, of course. I   
believe it was twenty lashings per soldier killed, followed by some 'shock therapy.'"  
  
"No...no..."  
  
"Yes, he's good entertainment for now, but that can only last so long." The  
cyborg sighed. "Yes, it's made life quite interesting, I suppose, but maybe I should  
end it now..."  
  
"NO!"  
  
Aelis scrambled wildly to her feet and flung herself between the cyborg and the   
microphone. Her shaking voice mingled with Geoffry's screams. "I...I..."  
  
The cyborg smiled victoriously. "We have an agreement, then?"  
  
Aelis closed her eyes in defeat. Her head slumped forward.  
  
"Yes...I will do as you wish." 


	16. Part Sixteen: The Star's Light Working f...

Chapter 26  
  
"Sir? She has agreed."  
  
Nicolae nodded. "But of course. There was no way that Aelis Merquise could have  
endured watching her precious baby brother suffer," he said, nodding at the figure on the  
floor.  
  
Geoffry was barely clinging onto consciousness. Each time he felt like passing out, a  
new wave a pain assailed him, making him wish that he could just die. But the soldiers  
of the Neo-Rommefeller were true professionals. They knew how to torture him without   
killing him. Now, as his body screamed at him, he managed to discern Nicolae's words.  
  
"Aelis?" he tried saying, but through his bloody and swollen lips, it was more like  
an inaudible croak.  
  
Both soldiers turned. "Yes, Geoffry, Aelis. Your dear elder sister," Nicolae sneered,  
then waved towards the younger soldier standing at attention. "Clean up this eyesore, and  
put him somewhere where I don't have to see him. I'm off to pay a 'visit' to Miss  
Merquise."  
  
"But sir, His Excellency has forbidden you from doing so-"  
  
"WHAT?! Since when?" Nicolae demanded, turning around.  
  
"I believe he said that he wanted her mind as intact as possible," the soldier  
said quickly. "But I'm sure he would allow you to enjoy her as soon as he was done with  
her," he added, hoping to mollify his superior.  
  
Enjoy her?! Geoffry thought, realization dawning. "Oh no you don't!" he tried to  
say, struggling to get on his feet. He couldn't even manage the words. When he tried to  
move his arms and legs, pain shot through them. "Ugh..."  
  
Nicolae ignored Geoffry's struggles. "Very well," he said furiously, yanking out his  
revolver and aiming it at Geoffry, "I'll just-"  
  
"Wait sir! His Excellency has forbidden that too!" the soldier said desperately,  
hoping that he wouldn't cause Nicolae to turn the gun on him.  
  
"So he thinks he can order me around?" Nicolae snorted, gun still aimed at   
Geoffry. "Well, he has another thing coming!" and he shot Geoffry.  
  
Geoffry let out a scream of pain as the bullet lodged itself in his shoulder. He  
writhed around in agony on the floor. Meanwhile, Nicolae looked at him coldly. "If only  
your high and mighty parents could see you now," he hissed, cocking the gun again.  
  
"Nicolae, what do you think you're doing?" a voice grated.  
  
Nicolae turned around. "Nothing, your EXCELLENCY," he sneered sarcastically.  
  
The cyborg smiled. "Now now, we must honor our agreement with Miss Merquise," he   
chided. Nodding at the young soldier who stood standing there, he said, "Make sure Mr.  
Merquise receives medical attention. I need to speak to him later."  
  
"Yes, your Excellency," the soldier saluted.  
  
"And as for you, Nicolae," the cyborg said, "You would be nothing without me.  
Remember that. One word from me, and I will have your carcass thrown out into the woods.  
Do not forget, I am your superior," he finished, and creaked his way out. Nicolae   
stormed out after him, a murderous expression on his face.  
  
Yuri turned around and sighed. Walking over to Geoffry, he lifted the young man's  
swollen head to get a better look at him.  
  
Geoffry glared at the soldier. He tried spitting in his face, but ended up choking on it  
instead.  
  
Yuri smiled faintly when he saw the spark of determination in Geoffry's eyes. "I'm...  
sorry," he said quietly. "I would not have wished it to be like this."  
  
"Go to hell," Geoffry rasped, gagging.  
  
Chuckling, Yuri lifted Geoffry's broken body. "I should have seen that coming," he said  
wryly, then carried him to the infirmary.  
  
later...  
  
Aelis collapsed in her cell. Her agreement had caused her "training program" to begin  
immediately. She had first been escorted to a lab, where she had been prodded, poked, and  
pinched. Then she had undergone trial after trial of flight simulations that left her  
both physically and mentally exhausted. After hours worth of data gathering, she had  
finally been half carried, half dragged, back to her prison, where she was all too happy  
to go.  
  
Just as she had been about to fall asleep, her door opened. She scrambled to her feet,  
thinking that it was Nicolae. She had yet to meet him, and she was not eager to.  
  
Yuri walked in with some food. "Good evening," he said politely, looking her over.  
  
He received a nasty slap.  
  
"Back off, pervert!" Aelis snarled, getting ready to lift her hot tea to throw it  
at him. Yuri hastily stepped back several steps, raising his hands. "What's this? I  
give you food, and you slap me?"  
  
Aelis showed no signs of relenting. "Don't even try it!" she growled, tea in hand. "Did  
you honestly think that a simple 'good evening' and dinner, which is probably drugged,  
would win me over, especially after what you did to my brother and sister?!"  
  
"What?" Yuri blinked.  
  
"Arg! Don't play innocent!" she shrieked, throwing the cup at him. Yuri ducked,  
and the cup shattered out somewhere in the hallway. "Get out! Get out!" she demanded,  
continuing to throw various items of food at him. "You want to rape me? Well, I'm not  
going to make it easy for-"  
  
This is pointless, Yuri thought irritably. Slamming the door shut, he ducked  
around the flying food and finally managed to tackle Aelis, pinning her to the floor.  
  
As soon as she felt his body on hers, Aelis opened her mouth to scream. "No no no!" she  
cried, thrashing around. Yuri slapped a hand on her mouth. "Do you mind?!" he hissed,  
annoyed, then jerked his hand away when she tried to bite him.  
  
"How stupid can you be?! You're trying to rape me; of COURSE I mind!"  
  
"I'm not trying to do anything besides feed you!" he howled, frustrated. Then  
he finally realized what she was saying. "Oh...you think I'm Colonel Nicolae, don't  
you?"  
  
Aelis stopped short, blinking, then resumed her struggling. "Well, it doesn't matter if  
you're not! All that matters is that you're going to do the same thing he's going to do!"  
she wailed, trying not to start sobbing out of fear.  
  
It didn't work. Aelis could no longer hold back her emotions, and tears began to pour out  
of her eyes.   
  
Yuri stared helplessly. "Sasha, help me," he murmured. "What should I do? I have no  
experience with women, especially not beautiful, blond, young-What am I saying?!" he  
finished furiously, shaking his head to clear his mind.  
  
Meanwhile, Aelis continued to sob. This is it, she thought miserably. I wonder how he's  
going to start? "Make...make it quick," she choked out through her tears.  
  
She was surprised when suddenly, the weight on her disappeared. Yuri had sit up, and   
was...blushing? Then he pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping her tear-stained face.  
"Now now," he stuttered uncomfortably, "I'm not going to do anything to you. So stop  
your crying."  
  
Aelis was struck dumb. THIS was a soldier of the Neo-Rommefeller? Suddenly, she   
remembered Reena's words.  
  
"Look for him...He's kind. He helped me; he'll help you too," she said quietly, and  
turned look at him. "You're the one who helped my sister, aren't you?" she asked.  
  
Yuri stiffened. "I won't tell anyone," she added, hoping to calm him down. She knew that  
if he truly was the one who had helped Reena, if anyone found out, he was likely to be  
shot. "But...was it you?"  
  
Yuri sighed. "Yes...it was me," he whispered.  
  
"But why-"  
  
"Why don't you clean everything up?" Yuri interrupted, standing. "I'll get you a  
new dinner."  
  
"Oh...Okay," Aelis said quietly, then watched him open the door and leave.  
  
a few days later...  
  
"Yuri, why do you fight?"  
  
The two were in Aelis' cell playing a game of chess. Yuri only pressed his lips together  
as he moved a knight forward.  
  
Aelis sighed. Yuri had simply refused to answer her question. She had found the gentle  
young man to be a good conversationalist; in fact, he was better than she, but when it  
came to this issue, he would not talk.  
  
Today, however, Aelis had decided that this had gone on long enough; she was going to get  
some answers out of him.  
  
Moving her bishop, she said, "Yuri...stop running. I know you're hiding something.   
Please...tell me why is it that you fight."  
  
"You wouldn't understand," he said harshly, moving his queen and taking her  
bishop. "You haven't gone through half of what I've had to."  
  
"So?" she challenged, taking a pawn and setting herself up for another move.   
"What makes you think that I wouldn't understand."  
  
"Aelis, please. Stop asking questions," he said shortly, trying to maneuver  
around her trap. "I already told you, you wouldn't understand."  
  
Aelis tried another tactic. "Then why are you fighting this war? Don't you want peace?"  
  
She finally got a response. "Peace!" he spat, viciously knocking out one of her knights.  
"Peace, is it? A false peace, bought by the loss of lives!"  
  
"But Yuri, in war, there are always soldiers who die," she said quietly,  
capturing one of his knights. "And innocent men, women, and children as well. That's  
why we don't WANT another war. So more people can't die. Is that what you want, Yuri?  
To cause more grief and pain in this world?"  
  
Yuri shook his head slowly. "No...I don't," he sighed, stretching. "I've seen enough  
death as it is." Glancing up at her, he said, "You know, the two closest people to me  
were casualties of war. One during the Eve Wars, one during the Himmler/Atkins  
uprising. No, I'm not in this to kill."  
  
"Then WHY?" Aelis pressed, leaning forward.  
  
Yuri's head dropped in shame. "For...revenge," he said quietly.  
  
A slap resounded through the small room.  
  
Yuri rubbed his cheek as he looked at Aelis. Aelis was furious. Her eyes flashed  
indignantly as she stuck a finger in his face. "Revenge, is it? All of this, all these  
casualties, all these deaths, all for your piddling ridiculous little revenge?!" she  
snapped.  
  
Yuri chuckled sadly, which stopped her. Shaking his head, he said, "I told you...that you  
would not understand..." as he continued the chess game.  
  
Glaring at him and sitting back down, Aelis said coldly, "No, you were right. I DON'T  
understand. Not at all."  
  
an hour later...  
  
Yuri stepped back out into the hallway, chess set in hand. He rubbed his cheek again,  
which now had a distinct handprint on it.  
  
"Yo! Yuri!"  
  
Yuri turned around. "Will!" he called as a fellow soldier jogged up the hall.  
  
Will grinned impudently. He was slightly shorter than Yuri, with brown hair and green  
eyes. Throwing an arm around his friend, he said, "So, how was today? Anything...  
INTERESTING happen?" he teased.  
  
Yuri pointed to his cheek. Will winced. "Ouch...Geez, you really pissed her off, didn't  
you?"  
  
"I suppose you could say that," he said, walking down the hall.  
  
The two walked for a little more. "Hey, Will. Thanks for covering for me," Yuri offered.  
  
"Don't mention it! And beside, you like her, don't ya?"  
  
Yuri glared at him. "I AM your superior, you know! And you are not supposed to address  
me like that!"  
  
"Oooh...SO sorry, Mr. Baron," Will mocked, bowing. Yuri rolled his eyes. "You'd  
better not let the Colonel see you like that," he warned.  
  
"Of course not! How stupid do you think I am?" he quipped. Grinning, he said,  
"Man, Yuri. Stop being so darn serious! What'd you guys discuss in there anyway?  
You're so quiet."  
  
"Nothing..." Yuri muttered, looking down.  
  
Will took the hint. "Hey, it's okay," he said affectionately, punching him on the arm.  
"Besides, who needs women anyway?"  
  
Yuri snorted. "YOU can't talk! You've got a new girl hanging onto you at every base!"  
  
"Hey, can I help it if I'm cute?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Yes...SIR."  
  
Yuri just sighed.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Geoffry lay exhausted on a bed. Even after several days of intense medical care, he still  
wished he were dead. But still, it was an improvement, and now that he was healthier, he  
couldn't help thinking about his family.  
  
"Aelis...I wonder if you're okay?" he wondered, then sighed, ashamed. "I'm such  
an idiot! To think that my last words to her were so cruel...Dad too. I wonder how  
everyone's doing? Mom and Dad are probably devastated, and Thomas is probably blaming  
himself, as usual. Wuten probably too. And then Eva..."  
  
Here, Geoffry paused, and sighed. "Poor little thing! She's still so young, and she's  
caught up in this, just like we are..."  
  
Before he could muse any further, the door opened, and Colonel Nicolae stormed in. The  
two glared at each other for a moment, and then Nicolae said, "Let's get one thing  
straight, brat: You are alive ONLY because His Excellency has ordered it so. If I had my  
way, you'd be torn to shreds and your head sent back to your parents. Understood?"  
  
Geoffry said nothing, though he was tempted to. This must be the bastard who wants to  
molest Aelis, he thought to himself.  
  
Nicolae seemed to have read his thoughts. "And yes, His Excellency has also ordered that  
I not touch your sister for the time being. But I'm in no mood to take orders from that  
old tin can, so listen closely: I am Colonel Charles Nicolae, second only to His  
Excellency of the Neo-Rommefeller. Despite his orders, I can still do whatever I want.  
If I wish to, that sister of yours is going to be fucked so hard that she's going to wish  
that she were a whore on the street, because even THEY don't go through what she will.  
So here's the deal.  
  
"You cooperate with us. You give us your little flight data, and I leave your  
sister alone. Otherwise, I'll go in there right now, drag her out, and fuck her right in  
front of you. And I'll do it over and over; it'll be my pleasure. Got it?"  
  
Geoffry glared at him. "What's up with your obsession with my sister anyway?" he hissed.  
"Are you so sexually frustrated that you have to KIDNAP your sex slaves?"  
  
"Oh, you think you're clever, don't you," Nicolae sneered. "Don't worry, your   
sister will just be added to the list of bitches I've already laid. But you want to know  
why I'm doing this? I'll tell you why. I'm out for my revenge, and I'm going to get it.  
I've already sent tapes of your torture to your parents; it's too bad I didn't tape your  
sister's rape. I'm sure that they'll enjoy them. And later, after we're through with  
you and your sister, all of our mobile dolls will have your data. So each time they fight  
us, they'll be fighting copies of you and your sister, and each time they see them,   
they'll be reminded of what happened to you two!"  
  
"A little extreme, now aren't we, just getting revenge on my parents?"  
  
Nicolae's eyes flashed. He stalked over to an intercom. "Baron! Get in here!"  
  
A few seconds later, Yuri stumbled into the room and saluted. "Sir?"  
  
"Bring that Merquise girl in here. Her brother's about to have a nice show."  
  
Both Geoffry and Yuri paled, though Nicolae didn't notice the look on the latter's face.  
Yuri swallowed hard. "Yes...sir..." he said slowly, and turned to leave.  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
"Yuri?"   
  
Aelis cocked her head quizzically, then flounced to a corner of her cell. "I'm not  
speaking to you," she said coldly.  
  
Yuri said nothing, but only went over and grabbed her arm. "What?!"  
  
"The...Colonel...wants...to...see...you..." he choked out stiffly. The blood  
rushed out of Aelis' face. "No..." she gasped, her knees buckling. "No no no!" she  
cried, hysterical, clinging onto Yuri. Looking up at him, she pleaded, "Please, no!  
Yuri, help me!"  
  
Yuri's face twisted in pain. "I'm sorry...I must obey my orders," he said softly, then  
dragged her out.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"You wouldn't," Geoffry said slowly, sizing Nicolae up and down. "To do so would  
be a blatant disregard for your orders!"  
  
"Do you think I care?" Nicolae smirked, then smiled as Yuri reappeared, Aelis in  
tow. Geoffry's eyes widened at the sight of his sister. "Aelis!"  
  
But Aelis was too petrified to say anything. Maintaining her death grip on Yuri's arm,  
she looked up in terror at Nicolae's leering face. "So, Miss Merquise, we finally meet,"  
he said casually, then went over to pry her off of Yuri's arm. "You are dismissed."  
  
Yuri nodded, then slowly left the room. Once he closed the door, and turned and ran down  
the hall as fast as he could.  
  
inside...  
  
Nicolae's eyes danced with eagerness as he looked at Aelis' terrified form. "Ah...Aelis,  
my dear, you cannot possibly know how long I have been waiting for this day."  
  
Aelis still could not manage a single word. Even when he grabbed her and started ripping  
off her clothes, she was still too frightened to speak.  
  
"Wait! No!"  
  
Nicolae stopped, both annoyed and victorious. "What is it now, boy?"  
  
Geoffry's eyes clearly showed the horror he was experiencing. "Let her go," he begged.  
"I'll help you, I swear. But leave my sister alone."  
  
"No! Geoffry!" Aelis pleaded, finally regaining the use of her voice. "You can't  
let these-"  
  
"Aelis, shut up," he said through gritted teeth. Looking at Nicolae once again,  
he said clearly, "I'll do it."  
  
Nicolae sighed. "Very well then. I suppose I shall have to maintain my distance for  
now." Standing and straightening his clothes, he opened the door...and nearly ran into  
Will.  
  
Will grinned at the flustered Colonel. "G'day, sir," he said, saluting.  
  
Nicolae only glared in annoyance at the young man. "Out of my way!" he snapped, pushing  
past him. Will rolled his eyes. "Geez...someone's got a stick up his ass," he muttered,  
then called over his shoulder, "Coast is clear!"  
  
Yuri poked his head from around the corner. "That was close," he said, breathing a sigh of  
relief. Will pretended to sulk. "Aww...I was looking forward to breaking in on Sir I've-  
Got-a-Stick-Up-My-Ass Nicolae!"  
  
"Well, be glad that you didn't. He would've hated you even more," Yuri cautioned,  
then stepped into the room. "...Are you alright?" he asked.  
  
Looking up, Aelis nodded slowly. "I...I think so," she said quietly. Yuri nodded.   
"That's good," he said, then gestured to Will. "This is Will. He'll get you some clothes  
and escort you back."  
  
"Pleasure to meet you!" Will called cheerfully. Yuri glared at him, and he  
backed off. "Okay, fine! Sorry for trying to lighten the mood a bit," he grumbled, then  
extended a hand towards Aelis, "Alright, milady, alley-oop! Let's get out of here."  
  
After Will and Aelis had gone, Yuri turned to Geoffry, "And you?" he asked.  
  
Geoffry was in no mood for pleasantries. "Don't even try it!" he snarled. "I've just  
agreed to help the enemy! How do you think I feel?! And don't try winning me over, just  
because you've tried to make it look like you're helping my sister. I'm not so  
gullible!"  
  
"I know you're not. But just...be careful. Nicolae's not a pleasant person; he  
hates you enough as it is." Yuri paused. "Just what did you do to him again?"  
  
Geoffry smirked. "After he caught me, he tried showing me off in front of the entire  
Neo-Rommefeller. I tripped him and pushed him off the stage."  
  
Yuri chuckled. "Yes, that would make him hate you." Then he grew serious again. "Don't  
make him angry," he cautioned again. "Neither you nor your sister will live to regret it."  
  
"I don't need advice from you!"  
  
Yuri groaned. "It must run in the family..." he muttered, walking out, his cheek   
throbbing once more. 


	17. Part Seventeen: Two Stars A Race Against...

Chapter 27  
  
"Yuri...can I ask a favor of you?"  
  
It was a few days after the time Nicolae had coerced Geoffry into helping. Since then,  
Geoffry had been wheeled into the simulation room with her everyday, and wheeled back out,  
more dead than alive. Nicolae purposely ignored Geoffry's injuries, and ordered that he  
be subject to more rigorous trials than the ones Aelis went through. Her heart broke  
every time she saw her brother, and she would go cold with fear whenever she saw Nicolae.  
It had been over a week now, and she was tired of everything.  
  
Yuri looked up. They were playing yet another game of chess, and he could tell that she  
was not focused. She had not captured a single piece, while all her pieces, minus maybe  
four, were neatly lined up on his side. "What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Yuri...how old are you?"  
  
"Um..around 29..." he said slowly, wondering where this was going as he moved his  
queen. "Check," he said.  
  
Aelis made no effort to save her king. "Have you..have you ever slept with another woman?"  
  
Yuri almost burst out laughing. "Who, me?" he chuckled, smiling at her. "Oh no, if it's  
that you want, you'll want to talk to Will. I'm sure he'll be glad to tell you of all  
his conquests!"  
  
"No, it's not that..." she said quietly, swallowing. Finally, she said, "Yuri,  
take it."  
  
Yuri was about to checkmate her king. He stopped, and frowned. "What? Take what? Your  
king?" he said, confused.  
  
"No no...not that. Yuri, I want you...to take my virginity."  
  
"WHAT?!" he nearly shouted, leaping to his feet. Staring at her, he said, "Aelis!  
Have you gone INSANE?"  
  
Unfortunately, it was clear that she had not. Looking at him with a steady gaze, she  
said, "Yuri, please. Just take me. Take my virginity before Nicolae can. I'd rather  
that you take it." Yuri tried interrupting, but she held up her hand. "No, listen to me.  
We both know that Nicolae's not going to keep up his end of the bargain. Sooner or later,  
he's going to come after me. He undresses me with his eyes everytime I see him, and I'm  
tired of being frightened of him."  
  
"But your friends!" Yuri said desperately, trying to talk her out of it. "I'm  
sure your friends will save you before he gets to you!"  
  
Aelis laughed softly. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I'm tired of this. Yuri, please, it can't  
be THAT hard of a favor to ask!"  
  
"But...but..."  
  
"Yuri..." she said softly, taking his hand. She forced his hand to close over his  
queen and then checkmate her king. Looking deep into his eyes, she said, "Yuri...please..."  
  
"Aelis...I-" and he was cut off as she sealed his lips with a deep, passionate,  
kiss.  
  
Aelis was nervous. Even at the age of 23, she did not have much experience with men.  
Whenever she had seen her sister and Jerry making out, she had always cringed a little; she  
really did not see what pleasure they could possibly be getting out of it. It had  
always seemed so...messy. But now, as she kissed Yuri, she could kind of relate to what  
they must have felt whenever they kissed.  
  
Finally, she pulled away from him. Yuri looked a little dazed. Finally, he said, "Look,  
Aelis, I'm going to be honest to you. I, well, my BODY would love to take you right now.  
It wouldn't mind at all. But are you SURE you want to do this? There ARE other  
alternatives, you know. And well, I don't know...I really respect you, Aelis. And it  
just seems wrong that I have to do this to you."  
  
"I respect you too Yuri. Consider...consider this as a thank-you present for  
being so kind to me."  
  
Yuri sighed, trying to keep his raging hormones in check. "I don't know..." he said  
skeptically. Aelis smiled and cocked her head. "Really, Yuri!" she said playfully. "You  
don't have to hide it!" When he looked at her with a puzzled expression, she blushed and  
said, "Will's already filled me in on everything."  
  
Yuri groaned and held in head in his hands. "Oh...no..." he moaned, blushing. "I'm  
going to KILL him!"  
  
Aelis laughed at his grousing. Finally, she said softly, "And I love you too," she   
murmured in his ear. When he looked up in surprise, she took the opportunity to go in  
for another long kiss. Finally, as he felt her body moving delightfully against his, he  
slowly brought his arms up to embrace her. "O...kay..." he murmured, the last bit of his  
resolve melting away.  
  
later...  
  
Yuri stumbled out of the cell, completely disoriented. He crashed into a wall, and all  
the chess pieces went flying.  
  
"My my, aren't we a mess!" a voice hooted.  
  
"Shut...up..." was all Yuri managed, a goofy grin on his face.  
  
Will smirked at his friend's euphoria. Squatting down to be on the same level as his  
love-struck friend, he said, "Nice hickey."  
  
No response.  
  
Will shook his head in exasperation. "Someone's gone nuts," he muttered, then lifted his  
boneless friend off the floor. "You know, I really should kill you for telling her,"  
Yuri managed, trying to glare and failing miserably. Will laughed. "Actually, shouldn't  
you be saying something more like, 'You owe me?' Because that's exactly how it is. You  
owe me...BIG."  
  
"Yeah...I know..."  
  
Will laughed. "Yeah, well, THAT's more like it!" he said cheerfully, dragging his  
friend down the hall.  
  
a week later...  
  
"Aelis?" Yuri murmured.  
  
"Hmm?" she yawned sleepily, then snuggled deeper into his arms.  
  
Yuri sighed in mild exasperation. Stroking her hair as they lay together in her cell, he  
said seriously, "Aelis, we've got to figure out how to get you out of here."  
  
"Mmm...can't we wait?" she murmured, still half-asleep. "It's cozy here..."  
  
"Aelis!" he admonished. "Wake up!"  
  
Aelis groaned, but forced her eyes open. "What is it? Is it time for you to leave  
already?"  
  
"No no. Aelis, it's been two weeks now. With both you and Geoffry, they've  
almost got all the flight data they need. Your time's almost up."  
  
Aelis nodded painfully. "I know..." she said quietly. "But...I don't know what to do,"  
she said helplessly.  
  
Yuri was silent for a moment. "Aelis...are your parents kind?"  
  
"Yes, of course! Why do you ask?"  
  
Yuri sighed. "I...I don't want to see you abused, so I'm going to bring you back before  
anything happens. Geoffry too. I'm tired of seeing you two treated like this."  
  
Aelis understood instantly. "Yuri," she said seriously. "I can speak for my parents, but  
I can't promise anything else. You've heard stories about Heero-jiisan. I really don't  
know what they'll do."  
  
"Will they grant me one request?"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"An audience with your aunt, Relena."  
  
"With Relena-sama? Why?"  
  
"I have my reasons. But will they allow me?"  
  
Aelis slowly thought it through. "Does it matter if it's monitored, taped, and possibly  
with Heero-jiisan holding a gun at your head?"  
  
"Yes...that will do."  
  
later that day...  
  
"Shit! Yuri! Where the hell are you?!"  
  
Will ran up and down the halls, searching for his friend. His green eyes were filled with  
panic. "Oh...crap...Come on Yuri, where are you hiding?!"  
  
Yuri stepped out of a room. "Will? What are you doing?"  
  
Will didn't waste time. "It's going to be today!" he hissed, dragging Yuri into a   
corner. "Nicolae's going after Aelis and Geoffry today!"  
  
"Fuck!" Yuri swore under his breath. "Can we try interfering?"  
  
Will shook his head. "Forget it," he said grimly. "His Excellency's got all the data he  
needs; he's given Nicolae permission to do whatever he wants. We've got two hours before  
he drags them up in front of everyone, rapes Aelis, then kills them both."  
  
Yuri closed his eyes briefly. "Fine..." he said quietly. "Okay then, if that's how it's  
going to work out..." and he turned to run down the hall. Will grabbed his arm, "Wait,  
Yuri! What are you going to do?!"  
  
"I'm going to override the cloaking system for a moment."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Their friends have been searching for them relentlessly. I'll override the  
system, send out a signal, and allow them to find it. They'll have to get here before  
Nicolae makes his move."  
  
"But Yuri, wait! Don't you see? The 'presentation' may be in two hours, but he's  
going to get to them before that! Geoffry looks too healthy right now; he's going to  
beat him up a little. And do you think he's going to just screw Aelis once? No, if he's  
only got two hours, he's going to make the most out of it!" he hissed as they both  
ran down the hall.  
  
"Yeah...I know..."  
  
"So what the heck are you-Oh...no..." he suddenly stopped, realizing what Yuri was  
going to do. "You're turning yourself in?! Why?!" he said desperately.  
  
Yuri kept walking. "For all these years, I've hated myself because I've been doing   
something I haven't wanted to do. I joined this stupid army, I learned to kill and  
manipulate people, all for my revenge. Well, I'm ending it now. I'll carry out my duty,  
and then, I really don't care what happens to me."  
  
"Yuri...No! Please reconsider!" he begged. Blocking his way, he said  
frantically, "Yuri, buddy, we've known each other forever! Ever since you joined, we've  
always been best friends. You can't just leave me now!"  
  
Yuri placed his hands on Will's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Will," he said gently. "I have to  
do this. Farewell, my friend," and he ran down the hall.  
  
Will stared at his friend's disappearing form, then tucked his hand under his jacket to   
feel the envelope he always carried with him. Grinning a lopsided grin, he said, "Well,  
if that's the way it's gonna be..." and he ran off in another direction.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Hmm? What's this?"  
  
Leaning forward, Wuli tapped in a few commands. A grin lit up on his face. Flipping on  
the intercom, he bellowed, "JERRY! FOUND THEM!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Jerry said, shocked. Locking onto the coordinates, he let out a  
victorious yell. "All right!!! Let's go!"  
  
"Roger that!" And the Deathscythe and the Phoenix blasted off towards the base in  
a race against time. 


	18. Part Eighteen: The Rescue What Were Six ...

Chapter 28  
  
Yuri raced around like mad, throwing supplies into a shuttle. Finally, he finished.  
Wiping his forehead, he quickly ran to a console and tapped in some commands. Sure enough,  
it registered two mobile suits coming towards the base. Yuri smiled grimly, and looked at  
his watch. "It's been fifteen minutes," he murmured, then ran back towards Aelis' cell.  
  
On the way there, he nearly crashed into Nicolae, who was in an uncommonly good mood.   
"Yuri, my dear friend!" he called out, putting an arm around the younger man. "How are  
you today?"  
  
"Good, sir. An apology for nearly knocking you over, sir," he said stiffly.  
  
Nicolae laughed. "Oh no, my dear friend," he said smilingly. "Nothing could possibly  
ruin this day for me. I've got a beautiful girl to fuck, and an annoying brat to torture.  
What could possibly darken my day?" he finished as they stopped at Aelis' doorway.   
Turning to Yuri, he said, "Why don't you run along and bring our little friend Geoffry  
here? I'm sure he'll want to witness this!"  
  
"Yes sir," was all Yuri said before running off.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Geoffry, get UP!"  
  
Geoffry wearily opened an eye, then furiously opened both when he saw Yuri leaning over him.  
"You again!" he growled, then took a swing at him.  
  
Yuri barely ducked under his blow. Catching Geoffry's fist, he leaned in and said, "Look,  
Nicolae's going to rape Aelis, and he wants you there. I've already dropped a leak to  
your friends; they're on their way. You have to cooperate with me for now. I'm getting  
you both out of this-Hey!" he finished indignantly as Geoffry tried punching him with his  
other hand.  
  
"Why should I believe YOU?!" he growled. Yuri glared at him. "Well, excuse me for  
trying to give you a heads up," he shot back, then flung him over his shoulder. "Come on,  
we've got to go now."  
  
"Let me down!" Geoffry said angrily, struggling. "Don't make me call   
reinforcements!" Yuri warned. "It'll only make things messy. Look Geoffry, whether or not  
you believe me, this is your best bet. After he's done with both of you, he's going to  
make an example of you guys, you realize that?" When Geoffry didn't say anything, he  
said, "So just...cooperate, okay? You two really only have an hour to live."  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
"Stop struggling!" Nicolae growled impatiently, chasing Aelis around her cell.  
Aelis only glared at him.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Oh good, Yuri, you've returned," Nicolae said irritably, still eyeing Aelis like a  
hungry bird of prey. "Bring her brother in here, would you?"  
  
Yuri complied, dumping Geoffry on the floor. "Geoffry!" Aelis cried, trying to reach him,  
but Nicolae stood in her way. Smirking, he drew his gun. "Now dear," he said. "You'll  
really have to stop resisting me, or I'm going to have to start hurting your brother."  
  
"No, Aelis! Forget about me! Don't give yourself up to that bastard!" Geoffry  
called.  
  
Nicolae's face twisted in annoyance. Cocking his gun, he said, "Why you little-"  
  
A blast rocked through the station. Nicolae, Yuri, and Aelis were all thrown to the floor.  
  
"What is this?!" Nicolae demanded angrily, brushing himself off as he got to his  
feet. A soldier ran in. "Sir! We are under attack!"  
  
"What?! That's impossible!"  
  
"No sir! The Deathscythe and the Phoenix have found us! As we speak, they are  
wreaking havoc on our station, and help is on the way! From the looks of it, it looks like  
Wing Zero, Seraphim, Sandrock, and Altron are all coming."  
  
Nicolae swore under his breath. Sticking his pistol back into his belt, he said, "Fine, if  
it's a battle they want, it's a battle they'll get! Send out our new dolls. I'll go out  
too," and he stalked out of the room.  
  
Yuri breathed a sigh of relief, and went over to Aelis. "Come on, this is our chance," he  
said, tugging on her arm. Aelis nodded, and rose unsteadily to her feet. "Okay, let's  
go."  
  
"Aelis! Wait! You're just going to...to TRUST him?!" Geoffry said, shocked.  
Aelis nodded. "Look Geoffry, this is our one and only chance."  
  
"It could be a trap!"  
  
"No...it's not," said quietly, glancing up at Yuri. That glance said everything.  
Geoffry stared at them, stunned. "Impossible...she's really fallen for him!" he said to  
himself. "Well, fine then," he grumbled, getting to his feet. "Fine, we'll go wing it  
then, I guess," and the three of them ran out to the waiting shuttle.  
  
outside...  
  
"Is it just me, or do these things feel way too familiar?!" Thomas snarled, trying  
to slice through some mobile dolls who were doing a good job avoiding him.  
  
In Seraphim, Giselle grit her teeth in frustration. "Yes, I feel it too. Somehow, I feel  
as if I recognize this fighting technique!"  
  
It was Rayan who finally hit it. "Hey! Wait a minute! These things fight just like  
Aelis and Geoffry!"  
  
"What?! But that's impossible!"  
  
"No...of course!" Wuli said, realizing. "They've taken their flight data!"  
  
"No way! Oh great, so now we're fighting fifty Aelis' and Geoffry's?!"  
  
"Hate to break this up, but speaking of which, we still have to find them!" Jerry  
broke in. "And how are we going to find them in this mess?!"  
  
"Thomas!"  
  
"Huh? What? GEOFFRY?!?!"  
  
"What?! Where?!" everyone else demanded.  
  
"Here, right here!" Thomas crowed, pointing to the lone shuttle in the fray and  
grinning at the image on the screen in front of him. "Geoffry, buddy! You're alive!"  
  
"Yeah, until one of you guys hits us!" he called out. Thomas nodded. "Yeah,   
you're right. Everyone, hold off for a sec-What?!"  
  
Nicolae's leering face popped up on screen. "I don't know how you escaped," he snarled,  
"but I'll make sure you don't survive!"  
  
"That's what you think!" Wuten retorted, drawing his trident. "Come on! Let's  
go!"  
  
While Nicolae and Wuten battled it out, Giselle flew in up close. "Everyone else, cover  
for me! I'll bring them back!" And with the shuttle safely flying close under one of its  
wings, the Seraphim made a mad dash back towards Preventer Headquarters.  
  
Inside the shuttle, Aelis hugged Yuri. "Thank you..." she whispered. Yuri smiled down  
at her. "You're welcome," he said. Geoffry gave out a cough. "Well, I STILL don't  
trust you," he grumbled, but he grudgingly stuck out his hand, "but I guess everything  
went like you said, so...thanks."  
  
Yuri took it, and they shook hands.  
  
back at the battlefield...  
  
"DAMN!" Nicolae exploded, watching the shuttle escape. "This is a waste of time!  
Everyone, retreat!" And just like that, all the dolls peeled off. The Gundam pilots  
breathed a sigh of relief. "That...was too close," Rayan admitted. "Nicolae's good, and  
we barely managed to avoid those dolls...Dammit! Why'd Aelis and Geoffry have to be such  
good pilots anyway?!"  
  
"And to top it off, it seems as if the Neo-Rommefeller is capable of mass-producing  
those dolls," Wuli mused thoughtfully. Something's not right, he thought to himself.  
Those dolls...they didn't just FIGHT in a familiar style, but they LOOK kinda familiar   
too...  
  
"Wuli?"  
  
Wuli shook himself out of it. "Sorry, Wuten. Daydreaming. Let's all go back now."  
  
back at Preventer headquarters...  
  
"You're BACK!!!" Riko shrieked, flinging herself at Aelis and sobbing. "Oh Aelis,  
I was so terrified for you! Are you...okay?" she asked tentatively.  
  
Aelis was crying too. Clinging onto her cousin fiercely, she nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm  
okay. He didn't touch me."  
  
"Oh, I'm so glad!"  
  
"AELIS!!!"  
  
"REENA!"  
  
Mariko quickly extricated herself from Aelis' embrace to allow Reena to hug her sister.  
Sniffling, Reena said, "I'm so sorry, Aelis! If I hadn't been captured-"  
  
"Don't say anything else! Reena, I love you so much!"  
  
"I love you too, Aelis! I'm so glad that you're back!"  
  
Meanwhile, everyone else had gathered. As the crowd milled around, Zechs and Noin  
ran up to the shuttle. "Oh, Aelis," Noin said, hugging her daughter. "I'm sorry...I'm  
so sorry..."  
  
"Mom...don't be. We're okay now."  
  
"No no, you don't understand," Noin said softly, but Aelis didn't hear her.  
  
Zechs, in the meantime, was frantically looking for his son. "Geoffry? Geoffry, where  
are you?!"  
  
"FATHER!"  
  
Geoffry appeared in the doorway, leaning heavily on Yuri. "Father, I'm here!" he called,  
hobbling his way over to Zechs. The two stared at each other for a moment, then   
Geoffry's face crumpled. "Dad...I'm sorry!" and he flung himself into Zechs' arms.  
  
Zechs felt tears running down his face as he held his son. "Geoffry...I forgive you. Can  
you forgive me?"  
  
Geoffry said nothing, only nodding mutely as he clung onto his father tightly.  
  
"HEY! GEOFFRY!"   
  
The other gundam pilots had returned, and Thomas was the first out. Leaping out of Wing,  
he nearly tackled Geoffry. "Geoffry! You're finally back!"  
  
Geoffry winced. "Ow...that hurt," he admitted. Immediately, Thomas backed off, concern  
on his face. "Geoffry...what'd they do to you?" he asked slowly, studying his friend.  
Rage replaced the happiness on his face as he took in all his scars and bruises on his  
friend. "My God! They're gonna PAY for this!" he seethed.  
  
"Um, Geoffry? Who's that?"  
  
Geoffry and Thomas turned around. Eva had made her way through the crowd, and so far, she  
was the only one who had noticed Yuri. But at her words, everyone stopped talking to  
stare. Grimly, Zechs went up to him, Heero and Wufei not far behind. He stopped, and  
said icily, "Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Yuri. I am a Baron in the ranks of the Neo-Rommefeller."  
  
"If that's the case..." and Wufei walked up, "you are now under arrest for your  
war crimes. Do not try to resist; you're hopelessly outnumbered."  
  
Yuri nodded. "I know," he said simply. "So...where do I go?"  
  
Wufei and Zechs exchanged glances at his casual attitude. Immediately, Heero said, "I'm  
searching that shuttle for tracers," and he went inside.  
  
Outside, they turned their attention back to him. "Do you have any idea as to what you're  
doing?" Wufei asked skeptically. Yuri nodded. "Yes. I knew this would happen."  
  
Meanwhile, Aelis and Geoffry exchanged glances. They walked up to Zechs and Wufei.  
"Tousan...please be kind to him," Aelis begged. Zechs, surprised looked down at his  
daughter, then at his son. Geoffry nodded slowly. "Well, if-"  
  
A scuffle interrupted them. Heero reappeared in the doorway, looking grumpy. "Did you  
find tracers?" Wufei asked.   
  
"No...just a stowaway," he growled, shoving a figure forward. Yuri's jaw  
dropped. "Will?! What the hell are you doing here?!"  
  
Will gave his trademark grin and scrambled to his feet. "Hehe, and you actually thought   
that you would get rid of me that easily, eh?" he smirked.  
  
Everyone else stared. "Now who's THIS?!" Noin sputtered, staring. "Just how many  
surprises are we going to get today?"  
  
"Mom, this is Will," Aelis said quickly. "He's a friend of Yuri's; he helped us  
too."  
  
Wufei groaned. "Well then, YOU'RE under arrest too, then," he said sternly, unnerved by  
Will's easygoing attitude; it reminded him of Duo. "Yeah, I kinda figured that," he said  
glibly, throwing an arm around Yuri's shoulder. Grinning, he said, "Hehehehehe...NOW,  
we're on even footing now, right? No more lording over me because you're some Baron!"  
  
"Hey, I rarely ever lorded over you as it was! And besides, Will, do you have  
ANY idea how much trouble you're in right now? You've walked right into their hands...  
and voluntarily too, you big idiot!"  
  
"Yeah, well, you just did the exact same thing. And I've got my reasons too. And  
while we're on the subject, what ARE your reasons...and don't try using the 'I'm your  
superior so get your nose out of my business' thing!"  
  
At this, everyone else also stopped talking to listen. Yuri cast an annoyed glance around  
him at the sudden silence and firmly pressed his lips shut.  
  
Aelis saw his look and sighed. She walked up to him, and, much to the shock of everyone  
around her, gently took his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. "It's now or never,  
Yuri," she said quietly.  
  
Yuri looked down at her and sighed. Kissing her on the top of her head, he finally said,  
"I would like to request an audience with Mrs. Relena Peacecraft Darlian Yuy."  
  
At that, Heero bristled and looked at the crowd, where Relena was. "Do you know him?" he  
mouthed. She shook her head, confused. Turning back around, he said cooly, "We will  
consider your request. And you?" he said, turning to Will.  
  
Will reached in his jacket. "Yeah, well, my mother gave me this a long time ago, before  
she died. She asked me to give it to, er, let's see...the ink's kinda faded..." and   
he stared at the letter in his head. "Oh right...She told me to give it to a person   
called 'NoName.'" He shrugged. "Dunno if he's HERE, but she told me to get it to the  
gundam pilots; they would know, so...here ya go!" and he cheerfully stuck the letter in  
Zechs' dumbfounded hand as he and Yuri were escorted out. 


	19. Part Nineteen: Confession of Love Identi...

Chapter 29  
  
"That was it?! A letter?! You deserted for a letter?!"  
  
As soon as he and Will were alone, Yuri promptly began bombarding him with questions.   
"Are you CRAZY?"  
  
Will casually propped his feet up on a table and leaned back in a chair. "Yeah, why not?  
Only way I could've possibly given it to them."  
  
Yuri shook his head in disgust. "Why, Will? Why throw everything away?"  
  
"I could ask the same of you!" Will shot back, leaning forward. Serious, he  
said, "Come on, YOU deserted because you wanted to speak to some woman. Well, I'm sure  
the fact that you've fallen for Aelis is a factor, but your reason is just as lame as  
mine!"  
  
"You wouldn't understand..." Yuri mumbled, shaking his head.  
  
"Yeah, well, you wouldn't understand my reasons, either," Will said, then stood  
up. Examining the room, he said, "This place is NICE. Better than our barracks!"  
  
He was right. Rather than putting them in a jail cell, the two had been locked in a   
room complete with desk, bed, and even a TV. Will promptly began channel surfing. "You  
gonna join me?"  
  
"No thanks. I'm exhausted," Yuri said, collapsing on the bed. Will nodded  
sympathetically, then grinned. "FINE. You get bed tonight. But tomorrow, can I fight  
ya for it?"  
  
"Go away."  
  
"Sheesh! Fine! Be touchy!" Will teased before going back to the TV.  
  
at the same time...  
  
"They're so...casual about this," Duo muttered, staring at the screen which was  
monitoring the boys' activity.  
  
"The green-eyed one acts like you," Wufei said. "He talks like you, walks like  
you, and even checks out girls like you!"  
  
"I do not check out girls!" Duo said indignantly. "Not since I got married,  
anyway, and I was the first one out of all of you!"  
  
Wufei smirked. "I meant he acts like you at his age. Anyway, didn't you see that quick   
glance he gave everyone as he strolled out? I believe he was quite taken by Riko..."  
  
Duo nearly fell out of his chair; he was laughing so hard. "RIKO?! Ooh...don't tell that  
to Heero! He'll shoot the kid!"  
  
"Well, Zechs wants to shoot the other one! Didn't you see that? Aelis openly  
declared her feelings out there!"  
  
"Yeah..." Duo said, shaking his head. "Wow...AELIS. Didn't expect it out of HER."  
  
"Yes, isn't it wonderful how full of surprises our children are?"  
  
"But of course!"  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"So Aelis is in good shape, but Geoffry could use some rest?" Noin asked, glancing  
at Zechs, who was still seething.  
  
Reiming nodded. "Geoffry's even got a bullet lodged in his shoulder, and plenty of old  
wounds that look like they used to be infected. Aelis seems okay..." but she  
hesitated, glancing at Zechs.  
  
Noin got the hint. "Zechs, why don't you go talk to Aelis and Geoffry in the other room.   
I'll join you soon."  
  
Zechs didn't seem to hear. He was replaying the scene over and over in his head. Aelis,  
holding Yuri's hand. Aelis, laying her head on his shoulder. And then, that...that...  
CRETIN had the NERVE to KISS her! Finally, he managed to discern Noin's annoyed voice.  
"What? Oh, fine," he muttered, and wandered off.  
  
As soon as he left, Reiming immediately asked, "Noin, is Aelis a virgin?"  
  
Noin blinked. "Yes...I'm fairly sure..."  
  
"Does she engage in heavy exercise?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"And she said that Nicolae hadn't touched her, right?"  
  
"That's correct. Reiming, where is this all going?"  
  
Reiming took a deep breath. "Well, you see, when Reena was brought in, she LOOKED like a  
rape victim. She was bruised everywhere, and of course, her hymen was broken. But Aelis  
looks perfectly fine. No bruises, no haunted look in her eyes. But...her hymen's  
definitely broken."  
  
Silence. Then the door was kicked open.  
  
Both Reiming and Noin jumped at the sound. There stood Zechs, and he was furious.   
Apparently, he hadn't left to go visit his children, but had stood outside listening.  
And now, he was on a warpath.  
  
"It's HIM, isn't it?!" Zechs bellowed, eyes bulging. "Wait until I get my  
hands on him! He's going to wish he were NEVER BORN!"  
  
"Zechs! Calm down!" Noin said sharply.  
  
"Dad!" Aelis said, running to the door, Geoffry right behind her. But Zechs didn't  
calm down. Turning, he muttered, "That does it! That kid's-"  
  
"Daddy! Please!" Aelis begged, blocking him. Zechs ignored her. "We'll have a   
'talk' when I get back," he said grimly. "But for now, that kid's dead meat!"  
  
"Wait, Dad! It wasn't his fault! I...I was the one who did it!"  
  
Everyone stopped to stare. "Aelis? What did you do?" Geoffry asked slowly, not really  
wanting to know.  
  
Aelis twisted her hands nervously. "Well, you see, I knew Nicolae was going to get me  
eventually, and I was frightened. I had gotten to know Yuri; he had helped Reena too, and  
so, I, um, asked him to take my virginity."  
  
"But...why?" Noin asked quietly, putting her arm around her daughter.  
  
Aelis looked down at her feet in shame. "I was tired of being frightened of Nicolae, and  
hoped that if I experienced it once, maybe I could cope with it better the second time.  
Yuri didn't want to do it; he said that by doing so, he wouldn't be showing any respect for  
me, but I insisted. I...practically seduced him, and I guess we both liked it more than  
we thought it would. It was his first time too, and from then on, he visited me almost  
every night. His visits...kept me alive."  
  
After she was done speaking, there was an uncomfortable silence. Finally, Reiming cleared  
her throat.  
  
"Well then, I suppose that answers my question," she said weakly. Aelis hung her  
head. "I know...I'm sorry. I gave up my virginity, and Nicolae STILL didn't get a chance  
to touch me...but I'd do it again. I...I love Yuri. And I'm glad that I got to share that  
special moment with him."  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Trowa looked at the letter in his head, confused. "NoName..." he murmured. "Who could  
have possibly known me by that name?" He began listing people off mentally. "The  
mercenaries, the mechanics of Operation Meteor, Trowa Barton..." Then his eyes grew  
flinty. "No...that's IMPOSSIBLE..." and he quickly opened the letter. Scanning it, he  
briefly closed his eyes, then opened them again. Then he quickly turned and went down the  
hall.  
  
Trowa stopped in front of a door. Taking a deep breath, he put his hand on the knob and  
opened it.  
  
Quatre and Duo looked up in surprise. "Trowa?" Quatre asked, confused. "Is it your turn  
to monitor them already?"  
  
Trowa shook his head. "No, it's not. But I need to speak to one of them."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"The boy named Will..."  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
Will looked at Trowa curiously. "Can I...help you with something?" he asked.  
  
Ever since Trowa had appeared in the doorway of the room he and Yuri shared and asked him  
to come out, he hadn't really spoken to him. The two of them had simply been escorted  
to another room by some Preventers, who were currently standing guard outside, well out of  
earshot. Since then, Trowa had leaned up against the wall, folded his arms, and, well,  
studied him.  
  
Trowa still didn't say anything, but only continued to scrutinize the boy in front of him.  
Finally, he held up the letter.  
  
Will looked surprised. Glancing at Trowa through the corner of his eye, he said, "You  
NoName?"  
  
"I was."  
  
"Well then!" Will said, grinning. "What it say?"  
  
Trowa didn't answer. "Will, how old are you?"  
  
"Twenty. I was born in AC 200."  
  
"What is your full name?"  
  
"Just call me Will."  
  
"No, I want your FULL name."  
  
Will's eyes narrowed. "What's it to you?" he demanded harshly.  
  
"I need to know whether or not the contents of this letter match the facts. Now,  
tell me your name."  
  
"Not until I know I can trust you," Will said belligerently, sticking out his  
chin. Trowa sighed. This was going to be difficult.  
  
"Fine," he said. "Then tell me, who was your mother?"  
  
"She was known by many names," he said evasively.  
  
"What did she look like?"  
  
"Er...tall, thin, kinda pale...she died when I was about ten; worked herself to  
death, I think. Blond hair, blue eyes...why?"  
  
Trowa's fists clenched in pain. "Was she...was she...Midii Une?"  
  
"Yeah! How did you know?"  
  
Trowa sighed a deep, heartbroken sigh, then said,  
  
"Because then...I am your father." 


	20. Part Twenty: Betrayal

Chapter 30  
  
Will's jaw dropped, and he stared at Trowa. "But that's...impossible!"  
  
Trowa slumped against the wall, the letter clenched in his hand. "No...read it yourself..."  
he said dully.  
  
Will seized the letter and read,  
  
"Dear NoName: You may or may not remember me, but I am Midii Une. I remember you  
well...you were the first and only man that I ever loved. But that does not matter now;  
I have contracted a deadly disease, and if and when you receive this letter, I will be  
gone. I have charged my son Wilhelm Une to deliver this letter to the Gundam pilots as my  
last wish; I know that it will find itself to you that way. NoName, Will is your son. He  
is the product of our reckless night so long ago. I bore him in AC 200, a little before  
your friend Heero married Relena...I remember that night that we shared, when I finally  
found you again. You wanted nothing to do with me, I remember. But I kept begging and  
begging. Finally, I persuaded you to spend one night with me, just one. You smuggled me  
into your trailer that night, and after we were done, after you were asleep, I realized  
how wrong I had been. That's why I left before you woke up; I knew that we were star  
crossed lovers, destined to be apart. I am sorry, NoName, for leaving Will here in this  
world as a product of our love. I tried raising him on my own. My father had died many  
years ago, but my brothers still depended on me. All had received injuries during the  
war; they were unable to work. As a result, I worked five jobs in an effort to keep   
everyone alive. And now...it is finally ending. I am sending Will to the military; perhaps  
he will be able to make a living there. NoName, I am sorry for disturbing your happiness.  
I watched, along with the rest of the world, as you married Reiming Chang. The look on your  
face was of quiet bliss and joy. I am so glad that you have finally met your soul mate.  
But I felt that you had to know the truth: You have a son, NoName, a son by me. I ask that  
if you are able to seek him out, to tell him the truth. I never revealed anything about his  
heritage to him; I even gave him my last name, not yours. Goodbye, NoName. Eternally  
yours, Midii Une."  
  
As soon as he was done, Will let out a cry of pain. With angry tears streaming out of his  
eyes, he moved to tackle Trowa. The Preventer guards promptly stepped in to restrain him.  
  
"Bastard! Mother-fucking bastard!" Will howled, struggling against his guards.  
"How could you?! My mother loved you...she LOVED you! She would tell me stories about  
you, but she never told me your name! It was always, 'Your father was a great man,' or,  
'Your father was a hero.' But you're just a coward! How could you leave my mother?!  
You could have found her, I know you could have! But no, you forgot about her, and now  
she's DEAD. My mother DIED because of you! She died because you refused to go back to  
her; you left her alone, sick with love for you and killing herself everyday. I...I HATE  
you!!!" he screamed, thrashing around.  
  
Trowa said nothing, only staring mutely at the letter. "Midii..." he murmured, his eyes  
full of grief. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"  
  
"Trowa! What is going on here?!" Quatre demanded, running into the room. Duo  
was not far behind.   
  
But Trowa said nothing. He shoved past them and dragged himself out into the hallway, his  
eyes downcast and the letter still tightly clenched in his fist.  
  
Will stared at his retreating form with smoldering eyes. "You killed her..." he whispered,  
sagging down like a dead weight. "Oh Mother...you lied to me. My father is no hero; he is  
a coward and a murderer. You LIED to me..."  
  
later...  
  
"Trowa?"  
  
Reiming had returned from the infirmary, and looked at her desolate husband with concern.  
Trowa had thrown himself on the bed and was staring at the ceiling with blank eyes.  
Going to him, she sat down next to him and stroked his cheek. "Trowa, what is wrong?"  
  
"Reiming...I don't deserve you," he said dully. Reiming tilted her head to the  
side quizzically. "Don't...deserve me?" she asked.  
  
Trowa sat up and held her close. "No, I really don't."  
  
"Trowa, what's wrong?"  
  
Trowa hung his head. "Reiming...Will is my son."  
  
Shocked, Reiming twisted out of his embrace. "WHAT?!"  
  
Trowa nodded miserably. "His mother was Midii Une, someone I first met when I was ten  
years old. She came back when I was twenty-"  
  
Trowa was cut off as Reiming slapped him across the face. "You...you...how COULD you?!"  
Reiming cried shrilly. "You told me that I was the only woman you had ever slept with!  
You TOLD me that!"  
  
"Reiming, I-"  
  
"Get out. Get OUT!!! OUT OUT OUT!" she screamed, picking up a vase and throwing  
it at him. The vase shattered against the wall as he quickly ducked. "Reiming! Stop-"  
  
His words had no effect. Reiming felt as if a piece of her heart had been torn out, and  
she blindly directed her rage towards Trowa. Picking up more pieces of furniture, she  
hurled them all at him until he was forced to retreat outside, where she then slammed the  
door in his face.  
  
Trowa stood in the hallway, rubbing his cheek. Inside, he could hear Reiming sobbing.  
He sighed and glumly turned to slowly walk down the hall. "Reiming, Midii, and Will...I'm  
sorry," he whispered as he trudged down the hall.  
  
later...  
  
"How long has it been?"  
  
Meilai checked her watch sadly. "Nearly an hour. She hasn't stopped crying for an hour."  
  
Wufei sighed and reached for the door. It was locked. Meilai smiled gently and put a  
hand on his arm. "Wufei, leave her to me. You can go talk to Trowa."  
  
"Even if I want to kill him?"  
  
"Wufei!" she admonished gently, shaking her head at him. He grimaced. "I know,  
I know...But how are you going to get in?"  
  
Meilai smiled impishly and pulled out a hairpin. With a deft flick of the wrist, the   
lock clicked open. "Didn't I tell you? Reiming and I are masters of getting in and out  
of places."  
  
Wufei groaned, then kissed her on the cheek. "Yeah, I know...Good luck with my sister."  
  
"Likewise."  
  
After Wufei had left, Meilai opened the door and let herself in. Reiming had thrown   
herself on the bed and was sobbing into her pillow. "Reiming..."  
  
Lifting her tear-stained face, Reiming said miserably, "Oh Meilai...WHY did he have to lie  
to me like that? Doesn't he understand how I feel at all?" and she resumed her sobbing.  
  
Meilai went over and sat on the bed. Rubbing her back, she said, "Yes, I know. I would  
feel cheated too. But you've been crying for an hour already! Is there a specific reason  
why you're so hurt, besides the fact that he lied to you?"  
  
Reiming nodded. Sniffling she sat up and leaned heavily against Meilai, who stroked her  
hair reassuringly. "Meilai...you know how much we've been through together. Since the  
age of ten, we've been...we've been..." and she choked, almost unable to continue. Finally,  
she regained control and said in a hoarse whisper, "We've been abused. We were their  
little sex toys, two innocent little girls who were defenseless. Trowa was like that too.  
Since he was little, he had been molested by the male soldiers of the mercenary group,  
and later, he was treated like Trowa Barton's little toy.  
  
"Before we were married, I told him all about my history. I told him that I had  
been abused countless times, and then how I voluntarily slept with men to gain  
information. He...he said that he didn't care. He told me that he loved me the way I  
was. Then I asked him if he had done anything like that...  
  
"He told me no! I still remember how he said it too! He looked me straight in the  
eye and said that I would be the only woman he would ever love like that. You don't  
understand...how that made me feel. I had only known a life of being nearly a   
prostitute. To be told that...I finally felt as if there was hope for me.  
  
"Our wedding night was amazing. The way he held me, kissed me and stroked me...  
just the way he made love to me...I can't even begin to describe it. After we were done,  
as he held me in his arms, he whispered to me how much he loved me. He told me that I  
would be the one and only woman he would ever love like this, that I was the only one that  
he would allow to know ALL of him. His words made me alive again. They pulled me out of  
my shell. And now...it was all a LIE!"  
  
Reiming began sobbing anew, and she beat her fists against the bed. "Why why WHY?! Trowa,  
how could you DO this to me?!" she wailed as she continued sobbing. "How could you lie  
to me..." she whispered, melting into a heap. Meilai continued to soothe her friend as  
Reiming sobbed her heart out. "Trowa...How could you?" Meilai whispered, looking at her  
heartbroken friend. "You said so yourself: a woman's heart is a delicate thing. For your  
sake, I hope you have a good explanation for all of this."  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Care to talk?"  
  
"No."  
  
Wufei smirked sadly. "Too bad," he said wryly, letting himself in.  
  
Trowa lay sprawled on the couch of one of the living rooms, with an arm flung over his  
face. The crumpled letter lay on the floor, next to his hand. Wufei walked over and  
picked it up. Smoothing it out, he gave it a cursory glance. "So...?"  
  
"I honestly didn't remember that, Wufei," Trowa said heavily. "It was so long  
ago...Midii loved me very much, but I couldn't love her. That night we spent together...I  
saw it more as a favor to her, nothing more. She was a wonderful woman, but...I don't  
know..." Sitting up, he said, "You know, we first met when we were ten years old. She  
was my first friend; all I had known before then was life as a mercenary. She even gave  
me a cross as a symbol of our friendship. We spent a lot of time together, but then one  
day, we were attacked. I barely managed to escape with her; everyone else was killed.  
After we safely retreated, I revealed to her what I had known for awhile: that she was a  
spy and responsible for the deaths of my entire group. She had spied for a living; she  
had to support her family. I should have killed her, but I couldn't. Instead, I destroyed  
the cross she had given me, and with that, I permanently cut off every connection I had  
ever had with her.  
  
"When she came back, I didn't want to have anything to do with her. But she was  
so desperate...She loved me so fiercely; I didn't know what to do. Finally, she asked for  
just one night. Just one little night to see if we were meant to be. I agreed.  
  
"When I woke up, she was gone. I tried to pretend like nothing had ever happened.  
No one had seen me sneak her in, not even Cathrine. I continued with my life as if I had  
never seen her. I lived that lie so well that I even began to believe it, so when I told  
Reiming that she would be the only woman I would ever sleep with, my mind completely   
skipped over that evening with Midii.  
  
"Now I realize how stupid I was. I had not even THOUGHT about the possibility that  
Midii would become pregnant. I should have looked for her, I know. Even if I didn't love  
her, I still had done what I had done; I had a responsibility towards her. Will was right  
when he called me a coward: I AM a coward. Now, I don't know what to do anymore. I have  
a son who hates me, and the only woman I have ever loved is now crying her eyes out in our  
room. I don't even want to THINK about how I'm going to explain this to Giselle."  
  
Wufei sat silently, mulling Trowa's words over. Finally, he smiled a lopsided grin.  
"Cheer up, Trowa," he said gently. "My sister may be stubborn, but she will listen to you  
eventually. You have to understand: my sister has gone through hell and back. You and   
your love mean a lot to her, and now she feels cheated." Standing up, he pushed Trowa  
towards the door. "Go to her, Trowa. Go tell her what you told me. She WILL listen, and  
I know that she will understand."  
  
Reiming and Meilai both started at the sound of the door opening. There stood Trowa, with  
Wufei standing behind him. Reiming's eyes hardened, and she jerked her face around.  
Meilai looked at her pleadingly. "Reiming..."  
  
"I'm not speaking to him."  
  
Trowa looked crestfallen, and Wufei winced. "Meilai...we should go," he said quietly. She  
nodded. Giving Reiming one more hug, she stood and left, closing the door behind her.  
  
There was silence in the room. Reiming stoically refused to look at Trowa, and Trowa  
felt lost. Finally, he sighed and walked over. He tried touching her on the shoulder,  
but she jerked away. "Go away," she hissed.  
  
"No. Not until you hear what I have to say."  
  
"I don't have anything to say to you! Leave!" she said angrily, painfully.  
Whirling around, she spun to hit him, but he caught her wrists and firmly pinned them down  
on the bed. "Reiming, be reasonable," he said gently, looking deep into her eyes.  
  
Reiming looked back at him, every ounce of pain shown in her eyes. "Be reasonable," she  
whispered. "How can you expect me to be reasonable? You LIED to me. You took the most  
important thing I had in my life and destroyed it, because it turned out to be just a lie."  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. Please, listen to what I have to say," he begged. "Reiming,  
I LOVE you-"  
  
"How can I be sure? How do I know that you're different from all the other men  
who have abused me in my life? Trowa, you're being cruel to me. Of all the pain I have  
ever experienced, this is the worst. Stop torturing me, Trowa."  
  
"Stop torturing ME, Reiming. You ARE the only woman I have ever loved. I don't  
want to lose you. Will you please just listen to me?"  
  
outside...  
  
"Uncle Wufei, Aunt Meilai, have you seen my parents?"  
  
Both Wufei and Meilai paled when they saw Giselle. "Er, Giselle, they're BUSY right now,"  
Meilai said weakly, praying that Giselle would not say anything else.  
  
She breathed a sigh of relief when Giselle groaned then laughed. "Oh...THAT," she sighed,  
glancing woefully at the closed bedroom door. "Okay then, I won't go there!"  
  
"That was close," Wufei murmured as Giselle started to walk past them.  
Unfortunately, Will chose that moment to stroll by with his guards.  
  
"Hey there! You must be Giselle Barton! Guess what, I'm Will," he called out.  
  
Giselle gave him an odd look. "That's...nice..." she said slowly.  
  
Will gave out a high, hysterical laugh. "You know what that means, right? Of course you  
do!" Ignoring Giselle's puzzled look and Wufei and Meilai's horrified faces, he  
continued. "Right, that means we're siblings! Half brother and sister, to be specific,  
but we're definitely family! It kinda sucks, doesn't it, having the father that we do.  
He's such a coward! He ran away from my mother, letting her die off on her own. Yup, well,  
looks like fate screwed US over! Well, nice meetin' ya!" he finished in farewell with a  
loopy wave of the hand. "Ta ta, little sister! See you later!"  
  
As soon as he walked off, Wufei sneaked a glance at his niece. Giselle had gone as white as  
a sheet. Her face was completely drained of blood, and she turned to look desperately at  
her aunt and uncle. "He's lying, right? My father would NEVER be unfaithful to my  
mother, right? Right?! ANSWER ME!!!" she shrieked, hysterical and shaking.  
  
"Giselle..." Meilai whispered, reaching out for her, but Giselle spun away from  
now, sobbing. "No...NO! He's not my brother! He can't be!" she wailed, and ran down the  
hallway, crying all the way.  
  
Wufei and Meilai looked at each other wearily. "Meilai, can it possibly-"  
  
"-get worse?" she finished for him. He nodded, and she sighed. "Let's not push  
that issue," she said wearily.  
  
And on that bleak note, they went off to find their devastated niece. 


	21. Part Twentyone: In Our Hands is the Futu...

Chapter 31  
  
Trowa and Reiming stood together silently on a rooftop. Three hours had passed since their  
confrontation, and now both were lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Trowa spoke.  
  
"I suppose I have some explaining to do to Giselle...and to Will. That is, if they  
choose to listen."  
  
"I will speak to Will."  
  
Surprised, Trowa cast a sideways glance at his wife. "Why?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"Will will not listen to you. He feels that you have betrayed his mother, the most  
important person to him. But he has no history with me, other than the fact that I  
'replaced' his mother in your affections." Turning to face her husband, she put a hand on  
his cheek. "He has your stubborness," she said softly, stroking his cheek. "I can see  
the resemblance; I wonder why I didn't see it sooner-"  
  
"-because it is something you thought I would never do," Trowa said bitterly.  
  
"It is behind us," she said simply. Sighing, she added, "And you will have a hard  
enough of a time with Giselle as it is. Let me deal with Will."  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Will! Stop that!"  
  
Will ignored his friend and took another long drink from the whiskey bottle he had  
pilfered when his Preventer escorts weren't looking. Wiping his mouth, he slurred,   
"Wha? Why sthould I?" Breaking out into hysterical laughter, he said, "Anywaysh...life  
shucks as it is. The sthing that I shwore to my mothsher...the last requesht tha she  
made to me...jusht thurned out to be shum letter to my bashtard 'fodder!'"  
  
Disgusted, Yuri stomped over to his glassy-eyed friend and tried to wrestle the bottle  
away from him. "Give me that!" he snarled, trying to pry Will's fingers off. "Drinking  
is the last-"  
  
Suddenly, the door opened. Surprised, Yuri turned and released his hold on the bottle.  
At that, Will took the opportunity to scurry off to a corner of the room, still giggling  
to himself in his drunken stupor.  
  
Heero glared at the two disheveled young men in front of him. "You!" he barked, indicating  
to Yuri, "Out here!" When Yuri looked uncertainly at Will clutching his bottle, Heero  
stormed into the room, yanked the bottle out of Will's hands, and stormed back out,  
jerking his head at Yuri. "Satisfied?"  
  
"Well, um-"  
  
"I will deal with him."  
  
Heero turned towards the voice. "Reiming," he acknowledged.  
  
"Heero," she responded, nodding at him. Then she turned her attention back to  
Will, who was attempting to "stealthily" sneak up on the Perfect Soldier and get his  
alcohol back. Heero shot a Death Glare in his direction and tossed the bottle into a  
trash can, eliciting a wail of distress from Will.  
  
Reiming hid a smile at Will's drunken antics, then said, "Do what you need to do with Yuri.  
I will deal with this one. Don't worry," she said, smiling thinly at Yuri's expression,   
"I won't traumatize him...too badly. I'll just...sober him up."  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
"SHIT!!! What the FUCK is THIS?!"  
  
Reiming had kept her end of the bargain, and she was now cooly observing Will...a very wet,  
angry, sputtering Will who had found himself in a pool and tangled up with a laneline.  
  
Spitting out water and disentangling himself from the clutches of the laneline, Will  
glared angrily at Reiming, who had a perfectly neutral expression on her face. "Alright  
Lady! What the HELL was THAT for?"  
  
"Contrary to my brother's belief, his sons do occasionally steal sips of alcoholic  
beverages. In order to save them from his wrath, I have found this method to be most  
effective," she explained calmly.  
  
Dragging himself out of the pool, Will snarled, "Yeah, well, I'm not your brother's kid,  
so you can keep your nose OUT of MY business!"  
  
"No...you are not my nephew. You are my husband's son."  
  
Surprised, Will looked up. Then he sneered, "Oh...so YOU must be the legendary Chang  
Reiming, the whore extraordinaire! I've heard stories about YOU."  
  
Reiming's face showed no change. "Yes, that would be me when I was younger. It was a   
matter of survival, though I'm not proud of it."  
  
"Oh of course not! After all, how many different men did you sleep with in a week?   
Five? Six?"  
  
"My record was ten. Various soldiers would come in during the night, and leave in  
the morning."  
  
"How can you possibly be so calm about it then, if you're not proud of it?!"  
  
"I've come to terms with it. Nothing can change the past, but we are all free to  
influence the future."  
  
"Yeah well, good for you, but to ME, you'll just always be a slut!" Will snarled,  
then looked surprised when Reiming started to chuckle. "Hey...what's so funny?" he  
demanded.  
  
Reiming smiled at the baffled young man in front of her. "It's interesting...Here you are,  
just sober five minutes ago, soaking wet, and as huffy as well, a wet cat, and I can still  
see the resemblance you bear to your father. Trowa would never be caught dead in your  
situation, but still..."  
  
Tilting his head at her, Will said slowly, "Hey, Lady...I'm just not going to be able to  
piss you off, am I?"  
  
"No, I don't think you'll be able to. Ten, twenty years ago? I would have shot  
you and danced on your corpse. Now? No, it'll take more than a wet and frustrated young  
man to make me angry...especially when you are Trowa's son."  
  
"He killed my mother. I will never acknowledge him as my father," Will said  
bitterly, tears coming to his eyes.  
  
"On that issue, you will have to settle with him yourself," she said gently,  
casually pulling out some tissues and handing them to him. Then she gave him a gentle  
push towards the building. "I've arranged for there to be a hot shower for you, as well  
as dry clothes. Now hurry up and clean yourself up."  
  
"Rei...Can I call you that? Why are you being so nice to me? I'm your husband's   
former lover's bastard son...Aren't you supposed to hate me?"  
  
"That may be true in a fairy tale, but unfortunately, this is reality. So, no.  
And as for Rei...You may call me that, but only you! I've threatened to cut off Duo  
Maxwell's braid plenty of times for butchering my name, but I'll make an exception for you.  
In return, however, I want you to allow your father to talk to you. You have his  
stubborness; I know it's not an easy request. But remember, we all have the power to   
control our own futures, or at least influence their outcome. What will it be? A life  
completely estranged from your own father, or perhaps a chance to reconcile yourself with  
him, and to get some answers? It's up to you."  
  
That said, Reiming left, leaving Will standing there in his own thoughts.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Come in here. Sit," Heero said curtly, gesturing to an open door. Yuri set his  
jaw and walked in. As his eyes adjusted to the somewhat dimmer lighting of the room, he  
focused on a figure sitting at a table. "You..."  
  
"I've been wanting to talk to you, Yuri," Relena said. "Now...tell me why you've  
been so anxious to see me, and even willing to throw everything away for this."  
  
AN: This chapter's dedicated to JupiterTwo, who's feedback on my story got me off my lazy  
butt and back on my computer. Here's the result; more is to come. Thanks a lot! =P 


	22. Part Twentytwo: Yuri's Vengeance

Chapter 32  
  
Relena studied the young man in front of her. "You've been asking for me," she stated.  
  
Yuri nodded. "And you have been wishing to know why a person like myself can fight such a  
war.   
  
"You destroyed my family," he said quietly.  
  
Relena was surprised. She frowned and thought for a moment, then looked Yuri in the eye  
again. "And how did I accomplish that?" she asked.  
  
"My name is Yuri Wayridge."  
  
"Wayridge! But then that means-"  
  
"We are not related by blood, Mrs. Yuy," Yuri cut her off. "But yes, I am related  
to your grandfather, the Marquis, and so, I am related to you.  
  
"Great-grandfather Wayridge had two daughters by his beloved wife. Your adopted   
mother, Mrs. Darlian, and your biological mother, the late Queen Katerina Peacecraft. As   
young girls, both were sent to the royal court in the Sank kingdom to be trained. There,   
they both met their future husbands, and both married at around the same time. Queen  
Peacecraft was in her early twenties when she gave birth to her first child, Prince  
Milliardo, and now Zechs Merquise.  
  
"Due to the increased tensions between the Sank kingdom and the Alliance, you were  
not born until a few years later. At the same time, Mrs. Darlian also gave birth to a  
daughter, a girl named Reese Darlian.  
  
"However, a few years before this time, the Marquis had become lonely. His wife  
had died a couple years before, and both his daughters were now married and in a distant  
country. As a result, he traveled a lot, trying to stay occupied. On one of his trips  
to the L2 colony cluster, he found a young orphan in her early teens. Her name was Sonia.  
She was a young, pale, and sickly thing, and only thirteen or fourteen years old. However,  
she was also kind, always helping other younger orphans whenever she could, even though  
she herself did not have much to give.  
  
"The Marquis took a liking to this girl; he admired her inner strength and virtue,  
and so, as a result, adopted her. She became Sonia Anna Wayridge. She loved her adopted  
father fiercely, and when the Sank kingdom offered to take her in just as they had done with  
his other two daughters, she refused. She wanted to stay with her father.  
  
"And so time passed. You, your brother, and Reese were born. Then tragedy struck.  
The relations between the Sank kingdom and the Alliance reached breaking point. The  
Sank kingdom was destroyed; the entire court murdered. The Darlians escaped with you;  
your brother was also rescued. The Marquis was devastated. He was even more devastated  
when little Reese died from her injuries sustained during the attack. As a result, your  
adopted parents published a statement saying how the entire royal family had been killed,  
and as a result, 'Reese Darlian' would thereafter be named 'Relena Darlian,' to honor her  
dead cousin. This of course, as we know now, was a lie, fabricated only to protect you  
from discovery. In reality, it was the Princess that had survived, and not the Darlian's  
child.  
  
"Soon after, Sonia realized that she had contracted a deadly disease. Actually,  
she had caught it as a child; the virus had remained dormant. There was no cure for it;  
she would eventually die. Not wanting to see her adopted father have to suffer from yet  
another tragedy, she hurried off to L2. She returned with my mother, Katrea."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
Heero, who had been sitting with Relena, was on his feet in a flash. He ran to the door,  
wrenched it open, and Duo, who had been listening in with his ear plastered against the  
door, fell in. Heero glared at him. "What did you think you were doing?" he asked  
coldly.  
  
Duo scrambled to his feet. Ignoring Heero, he sputtered, "Kat? Kat was your mother?"  
  
Relena also got to her feet. "You knew her, Duo?" she asked.  
  
Duo nodded. "She was my age, another war orphan. Very fast, very cunning. We called her  
'The Kat,' and for good reason. She was never caught whenever she stole anything; she was  
the best when it came to surviving the streets. She always landed on her feet, literally,   
and she really hated the Alliance, and always stole from them. The last I heard of her was  
that she had been adopted, though I never found out by who; I was with my...fifth foster   
family at the time. Or was it my sixth?"  
  
Yuri nodded. "Yes. Sonia didn't want her father to be alone again after her death. As a  
result, she went to L2 just as he had several years ago and adopted a young girl named  
Katrea. She brought her back and begged the Marquis to always take care of her. 'This is  
the grandchild I will never be able to give you,' she said. The Marquis promised to take  
in the child. Soon after, Sonia died.  
  
"The Marquis made good on his promise. Katrea was given everything and anything a  
young girl could ever want. However, she was a wayward child. She continued to hate the  
Alliance, and she hated seeing how the Rommefeller and the Alliance were always plotting.  
The Marquis, at a loss as to what to do with her, finally sent her off to some obscure  
colony with a mansion, money, and plenty of servants. He let her do whatever she wished.  
The war began. The Marquis almost forgot about her; he was always busy. My mother was  
about eighteen years old, and quite charismatic. She didn't mind that she was on her own.  
When the Alliance began to split, she saw it as her opportunity to finally wreak her revenge  
on them for her miserable early childhood. She opened her money coffers to whoever the  
current enemy of the Alliance was and provided them with weapons and whatever they else  
they needed."  
  
Here, Yuri stopped and smiled ruefully. "In addition to opening her money coffers, she  
also opened her bed. My sister Sasha was born on her nineteenth birthday; I was  
born a year later. We had different fathers; I don't even know who my biological father  
is.  
  
"Since my mother had been involved in the whole situation between the Alliance and  
the colonies before Operation Meteor, I was about three years old when Operation Meteor  
really did begin. Sasha was four. My mother was ecstatic. She knew that Alliance would  
now eventually fall.  
  
"During this entire time, the Marquis was in the dark about what his adopted  
grand-daughter was doing. Imagine his surprise when he realized that she was supplying  
weapons to fuel the war. He was even more surprised to find out she had two children.  
Nevertheless, he kept the bargain he had made with Sonia. Whenever our mother was out  
carousing, he took care of us. He really was very loving and kind.  
  
"Then you came on the scene. My mother was not happy with your proposal of total  
pacifism. She was even more displeased when Rommefeller backed you up. She went to her  
grandfather and demanded that he do something about it. At this, he snapped. He could no  
longer take what she was doing, especially not the fact that she was so unforgiving that  
she would not stop until she had stomped out every single last trace of the Alliance. He  
ordered her to stop what she was doing, or risk being stripped of everything. He would  
take everything that he had given her; she would be forced to live with him so he could  
keep an eye of her; Sasha and I would be sent to foster homes. The Marquis honestly  
thought that it was his duty to save his grand-daughter from her destructive path. He  
figured that she would give in and settle down and become a docile, obedient lady like her  
mother had been. He was wrong.  
  
"My mother was a proud woman. She would not bend to anyone's orders. As a result,  
she chose to take her own life. I was four years old when she died, too young to  
understand why she had left me; too old to ever be able to forget her.  
  
"And so what my poor grandmother had tried to do was for naught. The Marquis was  
nearly felled with this loss. Despite her wild nature, Katrea had indeed loved her  
grandfather, and he had loved her too. Sasha and I were taken in by the Marquis.  
  
"AC 203. A revolt was started by Meyer Himmler and Rolf Atkins. Sasha had just  
turned thirteen; I was not far from my 12th birthday. When we were taken in by our  
great-grandfather, he tried to rid us of any thoughts of violence. We were raised on the  
teachings of pacifism. He almost succeeded.  
  
"It is known that young children are very impressionable. Despite our youth when  
our mother died, Sasha and I had learned a lot from our mother. And so, even though since  
the ages of five and four we had been reared on the idea of pacifism, the philosophies of   
our mother still remained within us, unknown to even ourselves. But when this new war  
started, my sister Sasha dashed right in. Unlike myself, she had known why our mother had  
killed herself. Apparently, Katrea had spent many hours with my sister, telling her the  
details of the war. Sasha was well-aware of her hatred for you, and therefore, she also  
hated you. In fact, Sasha was the one who had discovered our mother's body.  
  
"My sister followed her mother's example. Though she was very young, she still  
participated. We were rich little children, wealthy through both our great-grandfather and  
through the vast inheritance our mother had left us. One of these included a space  
satellite. Unknown to the Marquis or myself, Sasha had begun to allow Himmler and Atkins  
to use it. Therefore, when the war did start, they literally had at least a thousand  
mobile doll troops, all made in the factories on that satellite. Sasha wanted revenge.   
She wanted to let the world know the pain she felt when our mother died.  
  
"Unfortunately for my sister, Meyer and Himmler were not successful. Fortunately  
for her, however, her involvement was never discovered. Still, that destroyed my sister.  
She sank into a deep depression. Three years later, I would discover her body in her room.  
She had slit her own wrists. Next to her was a letter addressed to me. She apologized for  
her actions, and she said that she still loved me and the Marquis. However, she just  
couldn't continue to live; she felt like she had failed our mother. Her final request was  
that I somehow finish the battle that my mother had started.  
  
"And so here I am. I ran away; in her letter, Sasha had told me that she knew of  
a band of the descendants of the Rommefeller foundation that were discontent. I joined   
them; I rose to the rank of Baron. However, I have witnessed their inhumane treatment of  
your brother's children, which is why I have left them. Sasha would not have approved of  
their actions, and I believe my mother would not have either. But, I still hate you for  
what you did to my family."  
  
At this, Heero brought up his gun. Yuri laughed harshly. "Mr. Yuy, I have no wish to harm  
you or your wife. Not physically, anyway. I know that I can't kill her; it is against  
my nature, and besides, she has the best body-guard known throughout the galaxy," and he  
nodded at Heero. "However," he said, narrowing his eyes, "I know that my vengeance is  
complete now."  
  
He was right. During his talk, Relena had begun to cry softly. She tried to speak; her  
voice broke; and she finally started to sob. Yuri smiled victoriously, but there was no  
malice; in fact, there wasn't much joy either. "Mother...Sasha...I did this for you," he  
whispered. "It is done. May you all rest in peace." 


	23. Part Twentythree: Forgiveness Attack fro...

Chapter 33  
  
"And so...that's what happened..."  
  
Giselle refused to look at her father. Finally, she said, "And Mom?"  
  
"Your mother knows too. I've already talked to her."  
  
"And?"  
  
Trowa sighed. "She...she's forgiven me...though I know I don't deserve it."  
  
*flash*  
  
"Reiming! Please! Why won't you listen?"  
  
"How can you EXPECT me to listen Trowa?! You've hurt me beyond repair! How could  
you possibly betray me like that?"  
  
"Reiming, I'm sorry. I met her again before Heero's wedding and spent one night  
with her as a favor. I forgot about her so quickly that-"  
  
"Forgot? Trowa, that's not like you."  
  
"I...I don't know. I HATED her...and I loved her too-"  
  
"Then you have done both of us a great wrong. You should have stayed with her,  
and not have then caused us both this pain."  
  
"I know, I know. She was responsible for the deaths of my entire unit; she spied  
for a living in order to survive."  
  
"Survive...like I had to?"  
  
"Yes...But I could never completely forgive her."  
  
Silence. Then,  
  
"So...you have't forgiven me either then, for my own lifestyle in the past?"  
  
"No, I have forgiven you. That's why it's different: I loved her, but I fell IN  
love with you...Reiming, I'm sorry. I KNOW I have hurt you, and I've betrayed Midii too.  
I've already made one mistake. Please, don't deny me the chance to try to make things  
right."  
  
*flash*  
  
"So, Daddy, you didn't betray Mom when you were married?"  
  
"No. This was three years before. But I still have betrayed her. I lied to her,  
and I know that it's going to be a long time before I can regain her trust...and I'd like  
to ask you for forgiveness too, Giselle. I'm very sorry."  
  
Giselle sniffled for a little bit, then said, "...Okay Daddy. I guess...then...I can   
forgive you too."  
  
"Giselle...I love you very much."  
  
"I know Daddy. I know. And I love you too."  
  
later...  
  
"Giselle! Hello-oh! Come on! Time for lunch, remember?"  
  
Clare stood outside of Giselle's room, waiting for her friend to come out. Finally, the  
door opened a crack. "Clare?"  
  
"Yup, it's me. Ready?"  
  
"Ugh...I'm sorry, Clare, but I think I'm going to sit out on this..."  
  
Instantly, Clare became concerned. "Giselle, are you alright? Is it true-"  
  
"Yeah...but...I dunno...Will was born even before he even met my mom, so it's a bit  
more bearable. Mom's already forgiven him, and so have I, but I'm kinda tired. Sorry to  
back out on you."  
  
"It's okay. I understand. Get some rest, and we'll talk later, okay?"  
  
"Thanks a lot Clare. See you later," and Giselle closed the door.  
  
Clare stood outside in the hall, looking thoughtfully at her friend's closed door. Finally,  
she sighed and began walking down the hall. "Well, that's that," she mused. "Giselle's  
found herself a new brother and I'm out of a lunch date. Oh well."  
  
"Hi Clare. Want some company?"  
  
Clare turned. "Mariemaia-san! How are you?"  
  
Mariemaia smiled and fell into step with Clare. "Good. A bit tired though. But it's  
nothing serious. So, did I hear you say that you needed some company?"  
  
"Oh, it's okay! I'm fine by myself, and I don't want to drag you away from YOUR  
friends."  
  
"It's no problem. Jake's out training, and Mother's at a meeting with all your  
parents. Plus, my Preventer friends have yet to transfer here, so I'd actually appreciate  
your company. It makes me feel younger," she teased.  
  
Clare grinned in response. "Well then, if THAT'S the case, let's go!"  
  
later...  
  
"Mariemaia-san, you aren't eating?"  
  
Mariemaia wrinkled her nose. "Sorry...it's hotdog day today. I can't stand hotdogs."  
  
Clare paused, her own hotdog halfway to her mouth. "Oh? Why? They taste good!"  
  
"Taste good, yes. Healthy for you, absolutely not! Do you have any idea what's  
IN those things?"  
  
"Er..."  
  
"Let me put it this way. Have you ever read 'The Jungle' by Sinclair? It's a few  
hundred years old, but it describes meat packaging plants so vividly that now I can't  
stand to eat that kind of meat. You know, at the plants, they-"  
  
"No! Stop! I don't want to hear it!"  
  
Mariemaia laughed. "Well then, now do you understand?"  
  
"Yeah...I guess..."  
  
A few moments passed. Then,  
  
"Clare-chan, you're not eating?"  
  
"Well, I'd feel bad eating in front of you..."  
  
"Oh! Well then, if that's what's wrong..." and she stood up to get her own  
food. When she returned, she smiled brightly at Clare and said, "Now, eat!"  
  
Clare stared. "Mariemain-san...didn't you just say-"  
  
"It's okay Clare. I mean, the book IS a bit outdated, and if this is what it's  
going to take to get you to eat, well, I'm sure ONE time won't kill me!" and she bit  
cheerfully into her hotdog.  
  
Smiling, Clare said, "Well, great, now MY appetite for hotdogs is shot, but I guess I'll  
start on the fruit or something," and she began to peel an orange.  
  
Nearly half an hour passed before Clare finally said, "Well, I guess I'll start on that  
hotdog now..." she said, eyeing it warily. Mariemaia laughed at her paranoia. "It's  
about time, dear. I mean, I've already eaten-"  
  
Mariemaia was abruptly cut off as she heard someone gagging. Jumping to her feet, she  
hurried over to the other side of the cafeteria. She nearly vomited at what she saw.  
  
Writhing on the floor was a Preventer agent, and he was throwing up. When there was  
nothing left, he began spitting out blood. "Call a doctor!" Mariemaia shouted, then  
jumped aside as the person next to her collapsed. "What...what IS this?" she whispered in  
horror as people in the room all began to fall over.  
  
"Mariemaia-san!"  
  
"Clare! Get out of here! I don't know if this is contagious or what, but go get  
my mother and the others! I'll-UGH!"  
  
Mariemaia suddenly felt her stomach lurch and the recently eaten lunch was on the floor.  
Ignoring Clare's horrified look, she suppressed another wave of vomit and snapped, "NOW!  
GO!" Then she turned to attempt to help the other victims.  
  
Clare could only nod mutely at her friend's command, then quickly turned and ran out of  
the cafeteria.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"Rayan? What is it?"  
  
Out on the basketball court, Rayan stiffened. "I...I don't know...I've never felt this  
before..."  
  
Thomas carefully studied his friend. On the other side, Jerry, Wuten, Wuli, and Geoffry  
exchanged glances and walked over. "Rayan...?" Wuten asked.  
  
Rayan said nothing, only clutched at the basketball in his hands. "I...I..."  
  
help...  
  
"What? What is this feeling...?"  
  
someone...help...sick...blood...  
  
"Who...?"  
  
cafeteria...need...help...  
  
Rayan jerked. "Clare!"  
  
As if on cue, Clare stumbled outside. "Rayan! Everyone! The people in the cafeteria...  
they...Mariemaia-san!" she gasped, horrified.  
  
The six boys stared at each other, then all ran inside. 


	24. Part Twentyfour: Unborn Casualty

Chapter 34  
  
"I'm going to kill him."  
  
"Heero!"  
  
"I'm going to kill him."  
  
"Heero, stop that!"  
  
"I'm going to kill him."  
  
Relena glared at her stubborn husband. "You can't blame Yuri. He had every reason to-"  
  
"I'm still going to kill him," Heero said flatly. "He had no right, no reason, no  
legitimate case to cause you pain."  
  
"Heero...I am responsible for the destruction of his FAMILY! And to think, he is  
the grandson of my mother's sister...I never knew it was him!"  
  
"Relena, you are not responsible for every single person in this universe. You   
can't be. The American Revolution began thanks to one gun shot. World War I began   
because one man was killed. The Cold War-"  
  
"Heero, I get the point. But Yuri is my family, Heero! I have betrayed my own..."  
and Relena's eyes grew bright again.  
  
Finally, Duo cleared his throat.  
  
"Look, Ojousan, I KNOW you're upset. You have every reason to be. Yuri had every  
reason to throw that at you and YES Heero, I see that look! But what I'm saying is that  
okay, it's done, he's done, you're done, now let's MOVE ON. Heero does have a point: you  
can't be responsible for everyone, not even your own family. But it's okay to feel bad  
too. You face what's happened, you figure out how to try to prevent it next time, and then  
you go back to this war we're in and figure out how to kick some N-R ass, 'cause it's all  
their fault anyway!"  
  
"For once, I agree with him," Wufei muttered to Meilai, who tried not to laugh.  
  
"Thank you Duo," Lady Une said firmly, ending the discussion. "Now as I was  
saying...Quatre? Are you feeling well?"  
  
Quatre's face had gone pale. "It's nothing..." he said slowly. Lady Une nodded   
uncertainly, but went back to her lecture. In the meanwhile, however, Quatre and Dorothy  
exchanged glances.  
  
quatre. what is wrong?  
  
pain...i feel pain, dorothy. people are suffering...but i don't know where.  
  
...i feel something too. but it's different. quatre! could it be...?!  
  
i...i think so. just as we expected, he's an empath, just like me.  
  
...i see. so then, his abilities finally manifest themselves. can you feel his  
emotions?  
  
i feel pain, panic, confusion. he's coming...he's here!  
  
The door was thrown open, and there stood seven panting, exhausted, and frightened  
teenagers. Everyone in the room stood up. "What has happened?" Wufei demanded.  
  
"Mariemaia-san...everyone in the cafeteria...Everyone's sick! They all started  
throwing up blood! Mariemaia-san's still in there trying to help everyone; What is   
going on Dad? Mom? Does anyone know?!" Clare gasped, terrified. "I...I'm scared!" she  
finally blurted out.  
  
Lady Une nodded grimly. "I expected them to infiltrate us somehow. Fine. Reiming, get  
the medical staff. Clare, you go with her. Wufei, send out an announcement that the  
cafeteria is now under quarantine. Everyone else comes with me."  
  
a few hours later...  
  
"Have you found the source?" Zechs demanded.  
  
Quatre looked up and nodded. "The hotdogs. Stupid of us, really. The logs read that they  
shipment took a brief stop before entering one of the tunnels. It was a 'shipping check'  
supposedly. Thing is, we never HAVE shipping checks. The only good thing that happened  
was that apparently, the 'officials' had attempted to switch places with our agents, but  
they were denied. Anyway, now we know to close off that entrance."  
  
"Good. And the afflicted agents?"  
  
"Poisoned. Lucky for us, no one died. Some may be discharged honorably though;  
their organs may be scarred for life."  
  
"...Mariemaia-chan?"  
  
At this, Quatre sighed. "See for yourself...Third floor, second door on the left. Entry  
restricted."  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
Mariemaia's eyes fluttered, then slowly opened. "Where...am I?"  
  
"Mariemaia-chan!"  
  
"...Reiming-san?"  
  
Reiming smiled with relief. "Oh good...you're awake. We were afraid you wouldn't make  
it." Then she frowned. "What were you thinking?!" she said angrily. "I was told that  
you wouldn't allow yourself to be treated!"  
  
"I needed to help my fellow Preventers' first."  
  
"But Mariemaia! You nearly died! And your reproduc-" and Reiming suddenly shut  
her mouth.  
  
Too late. Mariemaia tried sitting up and nearly fell over. "What about my reproductive  
system?!" she demanded. Then she paled. "Oh no...Reiming, what about my baby?!"  
  
outside...  
  
"BABY?!"  
  
Lady Une stared at Jake, who was sobbing. Looking up at his mother-in-law, he said  
miserably, "She...was three months pregnant. We wanted it to be a surprise. But now, if  
her reproductive organs have been permanently scarred, then that means..." and he broke  
down in tears again. "Our...baby..." he choked out. "Our baby...is gone."  
  
"Lady Une!"  
  
"Preventer Wind," Lady Une whispered, her voice shaking. She stood up. "Pardon  
me, sir," she murmured, running out before anyone could see her tears. "My poor  
daughter...My dear grandchild...lost."  
  
Zechs frowned at his commander's retreating form, then turned to the sobbing form of  
Jake. "Preventer Storm," he said gently, "What has happened?"  
  
"We...lost...baby..." he whispered, head in his hands. Then he jumped up.  
"DAMN THEM!!! DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL!" he screamed, throwing himself at the wall.  
  
"STORM! Show self-control!" Zechs roared, grabbing the younger man in a bear hug.  
As Jake struggled against his grip, Zechs said, "I understand your grief, Preventer  
Storm. But you must be strong enough to conquer this obstacle. There will be future-"  
  
"No...Marie's reproductive organs are permanently damaged. We...will never have  
our children..." Jake whispered, calming down.  
  
Zechs was stunned. "My condolences," he stammered, shocked. Inside, however, he raged and  
seethed at the fate that Mariemaia would be forced to endure for the rest of her life.  
Why, God, WHY?! Why punish these two young people? he thought angrily. When he finally  
managed to regain some control of his voice, he asked, "May I...go see her?"  
  
inside...  
  
Mariemaia had not stopped crying ever since Reiming had broke the news of her miscarriage  
to her. "Why why why WHY?!" she cried, her head on Reiming's shoulder as the older  
woman attempted to comfort her. Wiping her eyes, Mariemaia said, "I wanted to have this  
child so badly. What did my baby do? My baby didn't deserve this! If this is  
punishment for the sins I have committed in my past, why did my baby have to take it? Why  
was my baby punished, Reiming?! WHY?!?!" she screamed in grief.  
  
"Mariemaia..." Reiming whispered, stroking her hair as Mariemaia broke into fresh  
sobs, then looked up as Zechs entered the room. Zechs opened his mouth to speak, but  
Reiming jerked her head in a negative. He nodded, and quietly stepped back out.  
  
Meanwhile, Mariemaia's sorrow gave way to anger, just as her husband had done. "I'll  
kill them," she whispered fiercely, a dangerous glint in her eye. "They can watch me: For  
taking my child's life, I will send every single one of the mother-fucking bastards to  
HELL! WATCH OUT, NEO-ROMMEFELLER! I'll...I..." and she tipped over.  
  
Reiming looked sadly at her friend, syringe in hand. "Sorry," she whispered. "But you  
can't act like that right now...It's not healthy. You'll get your revenge, I promise you  
that. But for now...you need your rest."  
  
Straightening out her skirt, Reiming stood up and walked to the threshold, where Zechs  
was waiting. "Sedative," she explained, when she saw his questioning look. Zechs nodded.  
"Meeting," he told her. "With Lady Une and the top Preventers. We'll make those  
bastards pay."  
  
Reiming nodded, a cold and vicious look in her eye. "What they did to Mariemaia and the  
others was unforgivable. They'll pay...dearly." 


	25. Part Twentyfive: Plans of Attack Revelat...

Chapter 35  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen. I am glad to see you all today, and I would like to extend  
my gratitude to all of you who have expressed your condolences," Lady Une began,   
addressing the large audience.  
  
"We have suffered a vicious attack today. As you may or may not know, one of our  
food shipments was contaminated. As a result, over eighty Preventers will be honorably  
discharged due to their injuries. Today, we are here to discuss our new agenda of attack.  
We cannot sit idly by and take this insult. The Neo-Rommefeller is testing us, and we will  
rise to the challenge and strike them down so that they cannot recover.  
  
"First off: Security must be tightened. As you all know, most of this  
structure is located underground, with various entrances and several building located in  
hidden places on the surface. The entrances and surface structures are monitored 24 hours  
a day, 7 days a week, but as we all realized today, our system is not perfect. Therefore,  
I turn this time over to Preventer Ron, who will describe the new system."  
  
Meilai stood up. "Here is a map of the entire base," she said, projecting an image on  
the screen. "The entrances are all marked with red circles. From now on, we will not  
only have someone monitor the entrances from afar: We will have a Preventer there who will  
direct the staff at each entrance, and who will report directly back to Preventer Chang  
every day. All entrance staff will be called in for a personal briefing by him. There  
will be systematic checks by Mr. Duo Maxwell to check for any spying devices of the  
Neo-Rommefeller. Helping him will be Mrs. Hilde Maxwell, myself, and Mr. Quatre Raberba  
Winner. There are other details as well, and I request that all leaders of the entrance  
staff see me afterwards. I now return the time to Lady Une."  
  
"Thank you. Our next order of business is how we plan to act aggressively." At  
this, several in the audience cheered. Lady Une herself nodded. "Yes. Ever since  
Gundam pilots Miss Aelis Merquise and Mr. Geoffry Merquise were recovered, we have been  
able to follow their activities more closely. We know the locations of several of their  
main bases, including the one where we believe Colonel Charles Nicolae is. There are  
several parts to this plan. First: Today's incident cannot happen again. As a result, I  
have appointed Mrs. Reiming Barton to conduct medical research in all biological weapons in  
existence, as well as to develop some of her own. Mr. Trowa Barton will head the  
intelligence committee in charge of obtaining the necessary information. Next: We need to  
figure out how to combat the Neo-Rommefeller's new suits. Here is an image. Note it's  
smaller size and it's ability of stealth and speed. Alone, it cannot necessarily do  
much, but in a group, they become like a swarm of bees, or a school of pirahnas. Take  
your pick."  
  
At this time, as Lady Une described the images, both Reiming and Meilai nearly fell out of  
their seats. "Impossible..." Meilai whispered, staring. "The wings...they remind me of  
Seraphim!"  
  
Reiming was thinking the same. "The shape, the proportioning of parts...why does it seem  
so familiar? And how is it that it can be mass produced so easily? Judging from its looks,  
it SHOULD be not practical for mass factory production, and yet..."  
  
Lady Une continued. "These suits are extremely deadly, and I am not sure whether or not  
we will be able to quickly design, test, and produce our own weapons. As a result, we are  
upgrading the Xero system. Mr. Heero Yuy will head this project, and when he has time,  
Mr. Duo Maxwell will assist him. Lastly, we will be regularly monitoring the public.  
Mrs. Relena Yuy, along with Miss Mariko Yuy, will be our representatives. Mrs. Dorothy  
Winner will also undertake this task. And one more thing: To ensure that we don't lose  
track of the Neo-Rommefeller, Preventers Wind and Fire will monitor their activity and   
inform us of when new bases and or stations spring up. They will head an elite group of   
Preventers whose missions may run the gamut from sabotaging transports to detecting new   
bases."  
  
Lady Une breathed a sigh of relief. "And that's about it. I think that's enough work for  
all of us, don't you agree?" A light chuckle arose. Smiling, Lady Une said, "Very well.  
You are all dismissed."   
  
a few days later...  
  
"Yuri? Aw, come on! This bites! Aren't YOU the one who's supposed to be  
dragging ME out of a depression?!"  
  
Since his confrontation with Relena a few days ago, Yuri had not stopped moping. On one  
hand, he was glad: The burden he had carried for all those years was finally gone. But  
then again...  
  
"I broke her," he muttered, curled up in the fetal position on the bed. "And Aelis  
is angry at me too."  
  
As soon as Yuri had been escorted back to his room by Preventer agents (Heero had wanted to  
strangle him), Aelis had stormed in. First she raged about how insensitive he was, and  
then she cried about how sorry she felt for him, and then she raged some more about how  
cold he was, and then she beat herself mentally for pitying him, and finally she had  
slapped him, told him she never wanted to see him again, and then flounced out, leaving  
behind two young men bowed over by the power of the female spirit.  
  
But Aelis' words had forced him to think, and as much as he hated to admit it, he had a   
feeling that she was right. True, he DID have a duty to his deceased relatives, but  
then again, his relatives hadn't exactly been perfect people. Who was he to carry on the  
tainted legacy?  
  
"This makes my head spin," Yuri muttered, burying his head in his pillow and  
ignoring Will, whose mood had definitely perked up since his talk with Reiming. After a  
few days, Will had finally gotten the courage to confront Trowa. Yuri wasn't too sure of  
exactly what happened, but since that day, Will had been cheerfully addressing Trowa and  
Reiming as "Dad" and "Rei," and he had been calling Giselle "Little Sis," with special  
emphasis on the "little," much to her chagrin. At last count, there had already been  
ten fist fights between the two newfound siblings.   
  
"Are you even LISTENING to me?!" Will demanded angrily, frustrated that his friend  
was in such a mood. Finally, he threw up his hands. "Fine! You win! See if I care!"  
and he stormed over to the bed and shoved him off. "Mopers don't get the bed!" he   
snapped. When even that elicited no reaction, he beat his head against the wall. "This  
is ridiculous!" he muttered, then flopped down on the bed. "Well, I'M going out to eat  
with my family, so you, Mr. Sunshine, can sulk about in here by yourself!"  
  
later...  
  
"Will, do you know anything about the N-R's weapons?"  
  
Will grinned cockily and leaned back in his chair. "Interrogation time, eh? Somehow I  
knew this would happen."  
  
"Jerk!" Giselle muttered, glaring at him. "Got a prob, LITTLE sister?" Will  
teased. Giselle stuck her tongue out at him, and fist fight number eleven would have  
started if Trowa and Reiming hadn't given out two nearly identical glares. The warring  
siblings subsided, and Trowa asked his question again.  
  
"I really don't know," Will said seriously, sitting up. "I was never very high in  
the ranks; I was rude, rebellious, and Yuri had to save my as-er, butt several times."  
  
Then he snapped his fingers. "Talk to Yuri. He was a baron, right?" Then he frowned.  
"Oh wait, he's really depressed right now. You won't get three words out of him."  
  
Both Trowa and Reiming sighed in disappointment. "Hey, can I help it if I was a   
deliquent?!" he said, pretending to be hurt. His reaction caused Reiming to smile. "Well,  
it was worth a shot," she said mildly. "It's just, well, those suits look so familiar to  
me, and it's been bothering me a lot recently. I keep on thinking I've seen PARTS of it  
in places."  
  
"Didn't Aunt Meilai say that she though the wings looked like Seraphim's wings?"  
Giselle piped up. At this, Will cocked his head. "Seraphim?"  
  
"Yeah, what about it?!" Giselle said somewhat defensively, sure that he was going to  
insult her suit. "You wanna make something of it?!"  
  
"Yeah...Actually, I do..." he said slowly. Looking at Giselle squarely in the  
eye, he said, "Okay. Here are your Gundams: Wing, Deathscythe, Heavyarms, Sandrock, Altron,  
Epyon, Phoenix, and Seraphim. See anything...unusual?"  
  
Giselle blinked, confused. "Huh?"  
  
"Think NAMES. Is there a NAME that stands out?"  
  
"Look, I'm stupid too," she muttered peevishly. "Just tell me!"  
  
"I never knew His Excellency (well, I don't have to call him that anymore), er,  
I never knew the Tin Man very well, and the Colonel pretty much hated me, but I remember  
overhearing them talking about it once. Mr. Tin Man was being pretty smug about it,  
saying how great it was yadda yadda. Well, Nicolae asked him what it was, and he said,  
'It's all in the name.' Now tell me, which one of the names sticks out?"  
  
"The...Seraphim..." she whispered. "It's the plural form of seraph, right?"  
  
"Bingo. And it's plural because-"  
  
"IT'S ABLE TO BE MASS PRODUCED!" Reiming shouted, jumping up and knocking her  
chair over. "But of course! That's why it had Seraphim's parts! They used the  
crucial parts of Seraphim's design in it, giving it speed and agility, but it's design  
allows them to turn out hundreds of them!"  
  
"So...what you're saying...is that we're fighting a hundred copies of MY SUIT?!"  
Giselle asked furiously. "Those...those...copy-cats!" she sputtered, not being able to  
come up with a better insult.  
  
Meanwhile, both Trowa and Reiming were racing towards the building's interior. "Sorry,  
but you guys will have to clean up," Reiming called over her shoulder while fumbling with  
her cell phone.  
  
The two siblings glared at each other. Finally, Will said, "Ladies first!"  
  
Giselle didn't buy it. "You wish!" she snapped. "I've cleaned up for sixteen years, and  
now it's your turn, dear BROTHER!"  
  
"Who figured out the name thing?!"  
  
"Who PILOTS the damn thing?!"  
  
"You saying that I can't pilot a MS?!"  
  
"You said it, not me!"  
  
"You got a problem?"  
  
"Yeah! YOU!"  
  
Fist fight eleven was on. 


	26. Part Twentysix: Contaminating the Innoce...

Chapter 36  
  
Duo strolled down the hallway, occasionally cheerfully greeting other Preventers as they  
hurried past him. Glancing down at his watch, he grinned. "Perfect!" he smirked as he  
approached a metal door. Casually placing his palm on the pad and speaking his name for  
the voice print, he said, "Heh. Heero's not going to be able to give me the 'you're late'  
glare THIS time!"  
  
As the doors slammed shut behind him, Duo was greeted the sight of countless machines,  
monitors, and complicated-looking hardware in general. But what attracted his attention  
the most was a conspicuous looking chair set in the middle room, and attached to the top  
seemed to be one of those hairdryers found at salons. Duo laughed.  
  
"Heero! Since when did you care so much about your hair?" he crowed, heading over  
to join his friend standing by a console next to the apparatus.  
  
Heero didn't say a word, only continued working. Duo's smile disappeared. He tried   
again. "Hey...Heero, buddy, aren't you gonna glare at me or something? Even just say  
'hn?' Heero, talk to me!"  
  
Heero still refused to respond, doggedly tweaking devices that he had just adjusted a few  
seconds ago. Finally, Duo couldn't take it anymore. Slamming his hand down on the  
console, he said frustratedly, "Heero, look, I know when you're worried. You're not even  
taking the time to glare at me, and you're just messing with things you messed with five  
times before! What is going on?!"  
  
The two stood there for a while, Heero staring blankly ahead of him, and Duo staring  
earnestly at his friend. Finally, Heero murmured, "I hate it."  
  
"Hate it? Hate what?"  
  
Heero waved at the device in front of them. "This. I hate it," he whispered, acting  
extremely out of character. His hand shook as he pressed a button, and the thing came to  
life. "Look," he said tonelessly, walking up to the chair. Duo followed. Heero   
gestured to the armrests. "Here are the controls. Judging from the data received, the  
controller can send out information to whoever's MS is hooked up with it. This helmet   
receives the data. It's directly wired to the Xero system. The controller sits here,  
helmet on head. Once the data is received, the controller must be able to interpret it,  
execute a decision, then put those commands into effect."  
  
Duo nodded slowly, uncertain why his friend was so upset. "I see. Just like Zechs'   
system on Libra a few years back. So then, will this aid the pilots in battle?"  
  
"Yes. This machine allows the controller to not only send information to pilots,  
thus reducing the stress on their system, but if necessary, control the suits. Any suit  
that is online and hooked to this system can be controlled. Dolls, suits, shuttles,  
anything." Turning, Heero went over to a computer and tapped in a few commands. "I've  
also upgraded the Xero system," he continued tonelessly. "It will allow the pilots to  
battle even more effectively than before. Reflexes are enhanced, etc. However, the  
intensity is much too high, hence, the controller. The controller will take the extra  
strain. With the intensity divided in half, it can be reduced to a manageable level."  
  
"Well then!" Duo said, relieved, "I see no problem with it." Folding his arms, he  
said cheerfully, "So then, who're we gonna put in the controller's seat?"  
  
Silence.  
  
Duo's smile disappeared again. "Heero?" he asked, somewhat fearfully. "Heero, tell me:  
Are there risks involved for the controller?"  
  
Heero sighed heavily. "Yes. Should the controller be overwhelmed, possible results may  
include insanity, death, being put into a coma, paralysis, even existing in a state of  
shock for the rest of the controller's life. It is crucial to select someone capable of  
undertaking such a task."  
  
"But Heero! You're practically asking for an impossible task!" Duo exclaimed.  
"How the heck are we supposed to find someone capable of doing this?!"  
  
"Duo..." Heero said slowly. He hesitated, then continued. "Duo, we may have been  
strong soldiers at one point, and we still are. However, something like this is clearly  
beyond our abilities. I've already screened the Preventers, and I haven't found anyone  
who fits the criteria-"  
  
"What's the criteria?"  
  
"An extremely high IQ. This has nothing to do with physical strength, and mental  
strength plays only a small role in this. No, this person must have the natural ability  
to be able to process very concentrated amounts of information in a matter of seconds.   
The controller must be someone with a brain capable of switching from left brain to right,  
and then back again. They must have an unusually quick release of neurotransmitters. It  
is impossible to train someone for this job; it must be natural."   
  
Before Duo could cut in again, Heero continued, "After I screened the Preventers, I decided  
to screen all of the new pilots. Geoffry is the closest match. With an IQ of 160, his  
brain is most likely capable of taking such stress. However, I have already run a  
simulation. For someone to be fully capable of being the controller, he or she must have  
an IQ of at least 190. And of course, the natural chemistry of the brain plays a role too.  
Since Geoffry's brain could probably only handle up to 70% of the information without any  
harmful side effects, I decided against even bothering to test him."  
  
"Well then, is there even anyone left?! Don't tell me we have to conduct mass  
screenings of civilians!" Duo said frustratedly.  
  
"No. There was one more group of people I screened. In that group, I managed to  
find an individual with an IQ of 196."  
  
"196!!!" Duo screeched, nearly falling over. "Wow, this person must be a prodigy!  
Heck, MY IQ's only 177! So Heero," he said excitedly, "who's the lucky guy?"  
  
Here, Heero faltered. "Duo..." he said quietly, his voice wavering. "I..."  
  
But Duo had not noticed Heero's uncertainty; he was still too happy over the news that  
there was someone out there capable of filling such a position. He asked again. "Come  
on Heero! Tell me who it is!"  
  
"Duo, the group I screened consisted of the rest of our children, those who aren't  
pilots," Heero said in a rush, but before he could continue, Duo broke in.  
  
"Wow! No way! Wait, don't tell me: It has to be Clare, right? Haha, wait till  
Quatre finds out how his daughter's scheming has all been due to her exorbitantly high  
intelligence reading! Hehehehe...This is GREAT!"  
  
"Duo, it's not Clare!" Heero burst out.  
  
Duo blinked. "Huh?"  
  
"Duo...it's Eva. Your daughter. Not Clare, not Reena, not any of our other  
children. It's your daughter." Tapping in a few more commands, he said, "I'd already  
requested a sample of her DNA and run the required tests-"  
  
Heero was abruptly cut off by the sight of a fist in his peripheral vision. He jumped  
away just in time, and Duo's fist slammed into the console. Sparks flew, but Duo didn't  
seem to notice. Advancing on Heero with a dangerous glint in his eye, he hissed, "So,  
you want to put my little girl in that piece of crap, is that right? You want to put an  
innocent twelve year old in there, huh? Well Heero, I always knew you were on the cold  
side, but this...This just proves that you're not even human! You're a fucking monster!"  
he howled, lunging at him and shoving him to the floor. Smashing Heero with his fists,  
he shrieked, "Bastard! Son of a motherfucking bitch! There's no way in hell you're   
sticking Eva in that thing of yours! I'll kill you first! I'll rip your throat out, bash  
in your head-"  
  
"DUO MAXWELL! What the hell?!" Wufei dashed in the room and attempted to yank  
Duo off of Heero. Instead, he was met with a gun pointed between his eyes. "Duo..." he  
said slowly, trying not to let his shock show, "Put the gun down..."  
  
Duo gave a harsh laugh. "Hell if I do," he sneered, hand shaking. "I'll kill you all if I  
have to. If that's what it takes to protect my daughter."  
  
"Eva? What does Eva have to do with this?" Wufei frowned, though he was still  
staring at the barrel of the gun.  
  
"The new Xero system I've designed is much too dangerous. Therefore, there must  
be some sort of controller. Eva is the only one-" Heero tried explaining, but Duo  
howled, "Shut UP!" and struck Heero across the head.  
  
That was all the distraction Wufei needed. Lunging forward at Duo, he tackled him, slamming  
his head to the floor. Duo's eyes lolled back and closed. Wufei sighed in relief, then  
extended a hand to Heero. "Are you alright?"  
  
Heero nodded, trying not to wince as the room spun around him. "I didn't want to do that,  
Wufei," he said quietly, glancing at the comatose Duo and then the machine he had created.  
His mouth twisted into a bitter smile, "I'm a monster, and I know it. God damn it!" he  
snarled, slamming his fist into the wall. He watched with an unemotional expression on his  
face as blood ran down his knuckles. "Sometimes...I wonder...if I'm even alive at all..."  
he whispered.  
  
"Heero...We all wonder that sometimes," Wufei said quietly, and then his face   
became as bitter as Heero's. "Will we ever stop being soldiers? Will we ever have to  
stop being the one's to make the sacrifices? Or is a curse, passed on through the  
generations...Are we to always be the soldiers?" Then, shaking his head viciously, he  
said, "So then, Heero. Are we putting Eva in that?"  
  
"No...no, we're not. I'm sorry, Wufei, but I can't. I...just can't. She's only  
twelve! It's not fair to her. Maybe the older ones must fight, but not her. I was  
terrible to even suggest it. You know, Wufei," he began uncertainly, but continued, "Eva's  
the only one who was born several years after the war. Her and Geoffry. But Geoffry's  
always taken after his father; we all knew he would probably grow to be a soldier, a  
Preventer in the very least. But Eva...when I saw her, I thought, 'This is a normal child.  
This is a child who should never have to see war. This is a child who should have a   
normal childhood, a normal life. When she cries, it should be because she's broken up with  
a boyfriend or something. When she laughs, it should be genuine, not because she's trying  
to fool the enemy so she can stick a knife between their ribs.' I knew Riko wouldn't be  
able to have such a life: She's a soldier and politician's daughter. But Eva...I had  
hoped...so badly...that through her, our bloody legacy could end..."  
  
Wufei stared solemnly at the usually silent man, then put a hand on his friend's arm. "I  
know," he said quietly. "I understand. I had hoped for that too. Don't worry, Heero,"   
he said. "We will find another way, another way that doesn't involve her. We WILL save  
her," he continued determinedly. "We will defeat this last uprising, and then it will all  
be over. The next time something like this happens, we will no longer have to be  
responsible. Not us, not our families. We will finally have earned our rest." 


	27. Part Twentyseven: Moments Between Siblin...

Chapter 37  
  
Time slowly passed. As the weeks crawled back, no progress was made in the war  
against the Neo-Rommefeller. Occasionally, a few of the Gundam pilots would attack a   
base or attempt to liberate a colony or two; occasionally, the Neo-Rommefeller would try  
to infiltrate the underground Preventer Headquarters or attempt to take back whatever  
colony the Gundam pilots were fighting to free. There was no loss of life on either side;  
the only thing people seemed to be losing was their own patience.  
  
"Oh please...dishwashing duty for three MONTHS? MONTHS?! My hands are getting  
coarse!" Giselle griped as she attempted to rinse off a dirty plate, then abruptly swore  
as the plate slipped and shattered into a dozen pieces. "What the hell?! That's the  
third one!"  
  
"Don't you mean THIRTEENTH?" Will snapped as he glared at Giselle. "Thanks to you  
and your clumsiness, we're stuck here for three months when we should have been out in  
three days!"  
  
"If you hadn't kept on picking fights with me, we never would have made that mess  
on the roof a month ago and gotten grounded!"  
  
"A month ago eh? Someone's obviously been losing track of time! It's been   
exactly two months, four days, and five hours that we've been stuck on dish duty! And it  
wasn't my fault!" Will snarled as he venomously attacked his mountain of dishes. "Mess on  
the roof all MY fault my ass!" he grumbled as he thought back of what had happened...  
  
*flashback*  
  
"What is going on here?!"  
  
"Nothing..." Will and Giselle continued glaring at each other as Lady Une surveyed  
the damage in front of her. The dining area on the roof had been completely torn apart:  
Tables were knocked over; chairs were all over the place, and there were at least ten  
dishes, plates, and cups all lying in pieces on the floor. Lady Une winced as her foot  
crunched another fragment into oblivion as she attempted to pick her way across the roof.  
Reaching the two young people, she took a breath to calm herself and then asked, "Fine.  
Giselle, please explain what is going on."  
  
  
"Well, I was just eating here, minding my own business, when SOMEBODY here decides  
to pick a fight with me-"  
  
"Excuse me?! If YOU hadn't made that jab at my piloting skills-"  
  
"If YOU hadn't tried to DITCH me with all this crap-"  
  
"If YOU hadn't-"  
  
"ENOUGH!"  
  
Both stopped sheepishly as Lady Une angrily cut off the argument. Glaring at the two  
in front of her, she said icily, "Ten pieces of chinaware: $20. Six broken umbrellas: $80.  
Three damaged tables: $120. One bent chair: $15. $235 divided by $5 an hour equals forty-  
seven hours of dish duty for you two!"   
  
*end flashback*  
  
"Damn it! Since when did forty-seven hours become forty-seven days?! Oh wait,  
since a certain SOMEBODY proved that she can't even do something as simple as dishwashing!"  
  
"Well excuse ME if I've lived in a circus all my life and never had to wash more  
than five plates a day! And besides, Mr. Clean, since when were YOU so good at washing  
dishes anyway?!"  
  
"Since he began insulting his superiors and they ran out of punishments for him,"  
Yuri said drily as he overheard the two having yet another argument as he walked by the  
kitchen on his way down the hall. Smirking as Will shot him a nasty look and Giselle began   
laughing hysterically, he continued, "Will's always been the delinquent of the soldiers.   
The only reason why he was even given the privilege of being trained as a mobile suit pilot   
was because he PAID me to sneak him into the program!"  
  
"Yeah yeah, you know you needed the money anyway," Will growled, turning red and  
going back to him dishes. "Just because they all had some grudge against me-"  
  
"-only because you put tacks on their chairs; frogs in their drinks, and shaving  
cream in their shoes a few times doesn't give them a reason to hate you, right?" Yuri  
finished, rolling his eyes in exasperation. Laughing once again, he cheerfully pat Will  
on the shoulder and said, "Have fun washing dishes with that banshee over there," he  
crowed, winking at Giselle.  
  
Giselle was less than pleased. "Banshee?!" she howled angrily. "Why you-!" and she flung  
a plate at him...and missed. The plate shattered into pieces on the floor.  
  
"Miss Barton! Add five more hours to your dishwashing duty!"  
  
Giselle groaned as Lady Une stormed into the kitchen, eyes flashing as she took in all the  
shattered remains of plates and dishes on the floor. Glaring at Giselle, she said  
angrily, "Am I to assume that all you've been doing is flinging dishes all over the place  
like a child throwing a temper tantrum?"  
  
"No Lady! I'm serious, I haven't-"  
  
"Ha! Have you already conveniently forgotten about that one time when you-"  
  
"You stay out of this Will!"  
  
"Ooh...Touchy touchy-Hey!" he yelped as a cup went flying at his head. Reaching  
out to catch it, he crashed into the dishes he was working on. Twenty more pieces of  
chinaware landed on the floor in pieces. "Uh-oh..."  
  
"That does it! TEN more hours for BOTH of you!"  
  
"Ten?!?! Aw come on Lady Une! Can't you at LEAST-"  
  
"Did I say ten? Oh I'm sorry, I meant TWENTY, and one more word out of either of  
you, and I make it thirty!"  
  
"Yes Lady..."  
  
a few hours later...  
  
"Whew! I'm exhausted! Geez...at this rate, I'll be HAPPY when Neo-Rommefeller  
chooses to launch an attack: At least, it'll get me away from those stupid dishes!"  
Giselle groaned as she collapsed on bed. Lifting her hands to the light, she winced.   
"My fingers are all pruney!" she complained.  
  
"Oh just shut up already! I can't believe how immature you are," Will growled  
from his position in the doorway. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed, "At least  
you get to DO something. Yuri and I are still prisoners here..."  
  
"Yeah well, it wasn't as if you didn't KNOW that that was what was going to happen,"  
Giselle retorted, rolling herself over and propping herself up on her elbows. Studying  
her half-brother quizzically, she said, "Say...Will...Just what did my dad tell you that  
made you actually start speaking to him?"  
  
Will smiled. "You've got to thank your mom for even having me LET him get within fifty  
feet of me. But anyway, he basically told me the ugly truth: He had a one-night stand with  
my mother at her request, forgot about her, then turned around and boom, here I was. But  
he said it in a nicer way than that, and he said that if I was willing, he wanted to make  
it up to me. Anyway...I guess my mom wouldn't have been exactly proud of me for holding a  
grudge against my own father..."  
  
"What was your mother like?"  
  
"She was the most important person to me," Will said fiercely, hugging himself.  
"I'll never forget how hard she worked to keep me alive. I would watch her drag herself  
out of bed every morning, thinner and more wasted than the night before, put on her rags  
and go do her three or so jobs. She put all of her money in me: I got warm clothes while  
she shivered in her bed at night; I had a full stomach everyday while she would go hungry;  
even when, towards the end, when we both knew she was going to die, she continued to work  
so she could send me off to the military with a decent amount of money. I miss her..."  
he finished in a whisper, blinking furiously in an attempt not to cry. Composing  
himself, he said, "She never stopped loving me. It didn't matter if I got into a fist fight  
at school, or if I brought home some F on a test. She'd just smile sadly at me and tell me  
to try harder next time. And then, whenever I was sick or hurt, she'd stay up with me all  
night, holding me and rocking me to sleep. Of course, she'd just get sick herself; she  
was that weak, but she wouldn't stop. Despite our hard times, she was the one who taught  
me how to laugh; how to smile and be happy, even in the worst of times. Whenever I asked  
her, 'Why can you be so cheerful?', she'd say, 'I once knew a boy who never laughed, never  
smiled, who was never happy his entire life...but he was one of the most noble people I  
have ever known. You're just like him Will...but I'd like you to be able to find  
happiness in your life.'"  
  
"Oh...I'm sorry..." Giselle whispered, uncomfortable. Sitting up and drawing her  
knees to her chest, she said softly, "You know, I really wanted to hate her. You know,  
your mother. I mean, for awhile, even after both Mom and Dad accepted you, I still felt  
betrayed. I couldn't be angry at my father; I couldn't even be angry at you, but I had  
to take it out on somebody, so I decided to hate your mother instead. I wanted to think  
that she had seduced my father or something. But then...when I'd hear my father talk  
about her, and when I would see the respect my mother had for her in her eyes, I couldn't  
do it. I just couldn't hate her, but I wanted to so desperately, that I became angrier  
and angrier...I've just gotten over it recently, but...I just wanted to tell you...that  
I'm sorry."  
  
"It's okay..." Will said, going over to Giselle. Pulling her close for a hug, he  
said, "Don't worry about it, Little Sister. Just get plenty of rest; we've got plenty  
more dish duty tomorrow...and don't give me that look! You KNOW that it's mainly your  
fault!" he grinned and then danced nimbly out of the way as Giselle took a swing at him.  
"Sweet dreams!" he hooted as he pranced out of her room, with Giselle screaming insults at  
him. 


	28. Part Twentyeight: Burden of Empaths

Chapter 38  
  
"So, how has dishwashing duty been?"  
  
"Don't even MENTION that to me! I really don't see why everybody couldn't just  
use plastic!" Giselle muttered under her breath.  
  
Riko tilted her head. "Mmm...because it's bad for the environment?" then giggled as  
Giselle shot her one of her mother's patent glares. Patting her friend on the head, she  
said, "Oh, look on the bright side: You're out of the doghouse for a LITTLE bit!"  
  
"Yeah, because Heero-jiisan's actually finally finished his new Xero system or  
something...What took your dad so long anyway?"  
  
Riko bit her lip. "I'm not sure...I could've SWORN I he had finished a few months ago...  
but you know Tousan: He won't do anything until he knows that it's PERFECT."  
  
Though Riko knew she spoke with conviction, she sighed and glanced at her father and Duo,  
standing stiffly next to one another. The two had stopped speaking to one another a few  
months ago, much to the perplexity of everyone else. For a while, Duo had really been the  
only one that could even engage Heero in any sort of conversation; now, it seemed to be  
that Heero was unable to squeeze even a word out of his apparently ex-best friend, let   
alone a sentence.  
  
Finally, Riko shrugged and turned her attention back to the scene around her. Today was  
the first major offensive that the Preventer forces would be launching against the  
Neo-Rommefeller: An attempt to take back all the colonies of L1. Four Gundam pilots would  
be sent out: Jerry, Rayan, Wuten, and Geoffry, while the rest stayed behind as defense.  
Also going with the offensive team were Riko and Jake, each with a wing of Preventers in  
the newly modified Tauruses. Having thought of the modified suits, Riko glanced up at one,  
then poked Giselle. "I never understood what it was that we altered in the Tauruses."  
  
"Oh, yeah, that. Um, well, apparently, the suits the Neo-Rommefeller used had  
parts of my suits combined in...another suit. So we incorporated the same idea. Now all  
the Tauruses have parts similar to mine in design, as well as those from that...OTHER  
suit."  
  
"Other...suit?"  
  
"Er, yeah. There are templates available for two other Gundams, but they've  
never been used."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Giselle sighed. "Okay, because when my mom and aunt were little, they, along with two  
other sick and perverted boys, were trained to be heartless killers. Let's just say that  
the other two took advantage of that and had their way with them. The templates available  
are for their suits, but they've never been used, because the memories are still painful."  
  
"Oh..." Riko said sheepishly, mentally kicking herself. "Smooth...just break  
Diplomat Rule Number One: Asking an embarrassing question." Then she frowned. "But why  
the combination of your suit with that one?"  
  
"There is a quality of Seraphim that not even my aunt was aware of. Seraphim, or  
more specifically, some of Seraphim's parts are able to be mass produced, thereby giving it  
the ability to be fixed quickly...or make it so many Seraphim's can be made. The only  
reason that's not practical is that X-Gundamium is extremely difficult to manipulate;  
however, use it with neo-titanium, for example, and you can mass produce my suit, just a  
slightly weaker version. Apparently, Neo-Rommefeller's caught onto that, but they've added   
parts of the other suit. Why, I'm not too sure, though I wouldn't be surprised if it were   
deliberate: That suit, the Wyvern, belonged to the guy who tormented my mother. By   
combining it with Seraphim, it's an insult to my aunt, and it also serves to open up some   
old wounds in my mother."  
  
"What happened to those two?"  
  
"They're dead," Giselle said harshly. "They, along with their suits, were blown to  
pieces, and good riddance I say."  
  
Riko winced at her friend's sudden violent mood swing, but kept her mouth shut. She   
certainly wasn't able to make the same mistake again. Instead, she glanced down self-  
consciously at her new flight suit. "First battle today, Mariko Yuy," she whispered to  
herself. "Think you've got the stomach for it?"  
  
Up above the group milling around on the ground level, Yuri and Will, along with their  
Preventer escorts, stood looking down. As Will surveyed them, he jerked in surprise when  
he saw Riko. Turning to Yuri, he said, "Hey, Yuri. Isn't that Heero and Relena's   
daughter?"  
  
"Yeah. So?"  
  
"So? She's a pacifist, for crying out loud! What is she doing there?"  
  
"What does it look like? Didn't you know? She's going out today. She and some  
other Preventer are helping the other pilots, and they've each got a group of fifteen of  
the top Preventers under them. Where have you been anyway?"  
  
"Washing dishes in the kitchen..." Will grumbled, leaning over the railing for a  
better look. "Damn...she's pretty cute..." he murmured to himself, leaning over even  
further to see better.  
  
"Will! Baka, you're going to fall over!" Yuri said in an annoyed voice as he and  
some other Preventers lunged forward to pull him back up. "What were you thinking  
anyway-OH, I see," he smirked as his gaze landed on Riko. Shaking his head, he said,  
"Give it up. She's way beyond your reach," he said, trying to put it as nicely as  
possible.  
  
Will shrugged. "Yeah, I know. But a guy can dream, right? Speaking of which, how are you  
and Aelis doing?"  
  
Yuri sighed helplessly. "Cold, at best. She still doesn't really talk to me."  
  
Will winced. "Ouch...Wow, I'm really sorry. Didn't know she had it in her to hold a  
grudge."  
  
"Oh, she definitely does. Trust me, she does."  
  
Their conversation was cut short as Zechs strode to the front. "Okay everyone, you have  
five minutes before you go out. Offensive team: Your goal is to surround LaGrange point 1  
and destroy the defense of each colony. Don't leave them any room to escape. Our sources  
in L1 have already been contacted; they will attack from the inside. Defense team: Your  
mission is to protect this base. As this is obviously a much larger task, there are more   
members here than in space. It is predicted that the Neo-Rommefeller has an idea of our  
plan; they may attempt to infiltrate us while we are attacking. Don't let this happen.  
Surround the planet at the established points and keep careful watch over your area. Stay  
there until you receive orders from Lady Une to be dismissed. Is everyone clear? Fine,  
you are all dismissed."  
  
After Zechs left to get himself ready, Wuli nudged Thomas. "Think we'll get any action  
today?"  
  
"Yeah. Neo-Rommefeller's not just going to sit there while we pummel 'em out in  
space. They're going to try something," Thomas said grimly.  
  
"What are our chances of succeeding in liberating L1 today?"  
  
"From what I've heard, pretty good. Dad tells me that we've been in contact with  
many of our members in there for a long time. This operation's been worked on for a long  
time; it should work. Anyway, your dad's the one that's high up in the Preventers. What  
does he say?"  
  
"My dad's not the most optimistic of people," Wuli said drily. "He refuses to  
really say anything, but from what I've heard, we should do pretty good today." Then he  
grinned. "Anyway, I'm tired of sitting around here! It's time we got some action! Right,  
Giselle?" he called over. "Tired of washing dishes yet?"  
  
"Shut up Wuli," Giselle growled, tossing her head and storming over to Seraphim.  
"If you know what's good for you, you'd keep your mouth shut and get yourself in Phoenix.  
We've got two minutes before this whole thing starts."  
  
Wuli laughed at his cousin's irritation, but turned to Thomas and said, "She's right, I  
guess. See you soon!" he called as he ran off to Phoenix.  
  
"Yeah! Wouldn't want them to start the party without us, right?" Thomas called  
back, turning to head over to Wing.  
  
many hours later...  
  
Rayan winced as he cut through yet another mobile suit. "My God...Why does this hurt so  
much?" he gasped. Remembering the conversation he had had with his father, he smiled  
grimly. "It's because I'm an empath, I suppose. I really wonder how my father survived  
this..."  
  
*flashback*  
  
"Rayan, I need to speak to you."  
  
Rayan looked up from his book. "What is it Father?"  
  
Quatre sighed and sat down in another chair. "Rayan, have you noticed anything...strange  
recently?"  
  
"Um, I'm not too sure what you mean."  
  
"Remember the time when our food was poisoned? Did you feel anything interesting?"  
  
"Interesting...?"  
  
"Rayan, the reason why I'm asking is because, well, I'm an empath." Noting his  
son's blank look, Quatre continued. "That means that I have the ability to sense what  
others feel. Actually, I can feel whatever they feel. Pain, anger, sadness, joy, any  
emotion. Of course, they have to be within a certain range, but otherwise..."  
  
"So...you mean...You know, that day, I was up playing basketball with the other  
guys. And I could've SWORN I knew Clare was running up to tell me something was wrong  
BEFORE I even saw her. But I just wrote it off as coincidence..."  
  
"No, Rayan. It was not coincidence. You felt her anxiety and knew she was  
coming. It's especially strong among people you're close to, such as friends and family."  
  
"Can Kaasan do this...empath thingy too?"  
  
Quatre hesitated, then said, "No...she is not an empath..."  
  
"Clare?"  
  
"I don't think so. I believe you have inherited my genes, while your sister   
inherited your mother's. But there's another reason why I'm telling you this. You are  
aware that your Uncle Heero has been working on an enhanced Xero system?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Rayan, the Xero system, as well as its predecessor, is able to enhance one's  
senses, and it has been known to drive people insane. I...was one of those people. Your  
grandfather, my father, had just been killed, and in my grief, I was not able to withstand  
the effects of the Zero system." As Rayan sat there dumbly, he continued, "When I once  
again used the Zero system, I discovered that because of my empath abilities, I was able  
to feel the emotions and feelings of those I was fighting. Actually, I had always been  
able to do this. But with the Zero system, not only could I feel the emotions of those I  
was engaged in direct combat in, I was able to feel the emotions of those controlling, for  
example, the mobile dolls."  
  
"Control?"  
  
"Yes. Mobile dolls can be controlled. With the correct setup, a person in a   
remote place can control their actions. In fact...that was how I met your mother. I  
suppose I had seen her before, in the Sank Kingdom, but I had never really spoken to her.  
But later, she joined with the White Fang. I won't bore you with history lessons, but it  
so happened that she was the one controlling the dolls that day. And with the Zero  
System, combined with my empath abilities, I could detect her emotions."   
  
"Father...if you could the emotions of those that you fight, then does that mean..."  
  
"That I can feel their pain? Yes, Rayan, yes I can. I could feel their fear,   
anger...and pain and terror as I killed them. That's why I wanted to speak to you. I was  
hoping that your abilities would not awaken until after the war, but now that they've  
manifested themselves, you must be aware of what they mean. I'm sorry, but you will have  
to be strong; you will have to learn to ignore their cries in your head as you kill them."  
  
*end flashback*  
  
"Father..." Rayan gasped, gripping his head as another scream tore through his  
mind. "Father, it's so hard...How did you survive this?" he moaned as his heat shorters  
tore through another group of mobile suits. "I can't take this anymore...Wuten!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Please...take care of these mobile suits for me. I'll go for the dolls."  
  
"Roger that!" Wuten said, understanding. "You've done your best, my friend."  
  
"You...you know?"  
  
"Yes. Well, your father, um, asked me to watch your back because of your...  
talents."  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry, I'm just a liability-"  
  
"Oh shut up already. Go clean up the dolls," Wuten called, jabbing his trident  
into the nearest suit. "Don't worry about being a liability. If I were in your position,  
I'd probably have already broken down. You've got your own strength. Don't  
underestimate them. Now move!"  
  
"Okay..." Rayan sighed, dejected despite his friend's encouragement.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
A little girl, no more than five, sat strapped to a chair. Feeling a new presence, she  
whimpered. A scientist near her noted her uneasiness and said coldly, "So, the empath's  
son must be near. Well, you know what to do, Jaasalin. Remember, for each doll he  
destroys, the more pain you will feel. Now do your job and eliminate him!"  
  
"Yes...sir," she whispered, then began promptly sending commands to the dolls.  
  
back in space...  
  
"What is this?!" Rayan said in frustration as the dolls suddenly changed formation.  
"Doesn't matter...at least these things won't scream," he thought morosely, then plunged  
into the fray.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
The little girl screamed as the dolls were systemically destroyed. With trembling fingers,  
she quickly keyed in more commands.  
  
in space...  
  
Rayan jerked in his chair. "What...is that screaming?" he wondered. Hesitantly, he  
raised his heat shorters and sliced another doll in half.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
"What shall we do, sir?" the assistant said uneasily, watching the girl writhe in  
agony. "Should we turn down the pain a little? It's obvious she can't even key in  
commands anymore-"  
  
"Doesn't matter. She obviously isn't fit for this job. If she dies, we can create  
another to take her place."  
  
in space...  
  
"I...I..."  
  
"Rayan! Look out!" Wuten cried, destroying the last of the suits and then rushing  
over to his friend, who seemed to have frozen. "Rayan! What are you doing?!"  
  
"I can't! Wuten, I can't do this anymore! I can't I can't I CAN'T!"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Wuten...Don't you hear it?"  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"The little girl...screaming. Everytime I-"  
  
"Rayan, take it easy. Come on, we're almost done here-"  
  
"NO! Watch...everytime I destroy a doll, she screams. She feels the pain that they  
don't...See?" and Rayan thrust through the last of the dolls.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
The girl gave out one more pitiful wail and stopped struggling, unconscious.  
  
in space...  
  
"NO!!! Didn't you feel that, Wuten? Didn't you?"  
  
"Rayan! They're just dolls!"  
  
"No Wuten! There's a little girl...she was controlling them-"  
  
"Look Rayan, just breathe. There is no little girl controlling them. Be  
reasonable! How can a child control so many dolls?"  
  
"You don't understand! I don't know how she did it, but she did! She was...  
strapped to a chair. She was scared, frightened...I can't take this anymore!!!"  
  
"Rayan!"   
  
many hours later...  
  
Though it took many hours of intense fighting, by the end of the day, all the colonies of  
L1 had been liberated. Though the colonies had been well fortified, the skill of the  
Gundam pilots, as well as their meticulous planning, finally succeeded, and the Neo-  
Rommefeller forces were overwhelmed. After their victory, the Preventers were reinstated,  
and a stiff defensive force was set up to protect it further.  
  
Mariko sighed as she lifted her face to the steaming water in the shower. "It feels good  
to be back," she thought as she turned the water off. Stepping out and drying herself, she  
reflected on what had happened.  
  
*flashback*  
  
"Rayan! RAYAN!!!"  
  
"NO! Don't touch me! Leave me alone!" Rayan screamed, struggling against the  
combined efforts of Wuten and his father. "No! You...you don't understand! Leave me  
alone!"  
  
"Rayan! Listen to me! You have to control yourself!" Quatre said desperately,  
trying to bring his son back to his senses. "I understand what you're feeling, but-"  
  
"NO! You don't! There was a little girl, she-"  
  
"Will you stop rambling about the little girl already?!?!" Wuten howled in agony  
and frustration. "LISTEN TO ME! SHE DIDN'T EXIST! SHE WAS A FIGMENT OF-"  
  
"NO NO NO!!! She was there! She was screaming...I MADE her scream! No! Don't  
touch me! Where are you taking me?!" Rayan howled as Wuten and Quatre were forced to  
surrender him to medical personnel. "No no no!" he wailed as he was dragged away.  
  
*end flashback*  
  
"Poor Rayan," Riko murmured, wrapping herself up and preparing to open the door.  
"I have to go visit-EEK!"  
  
"What the-?!"  
  
"Will! What are you doing here?!"  
  
"Er, I uh, um...I didn't expect you to walk out like THAT!" he sputtered, trying  
to make a not-so-smooth exit but unable to tear his eyes away from Riko's rather  
scantily clad body. "Um, I heard that your hair had gotten in the way during the fight,  
so I, uh, got you something...yeah, that's right. Um, okay, so I'll-"  
  
"Get out!" she shrieked, blushing furiously, realizing that he was staring. "I  
appreciate the gift, but now please leave!"  
  
"Uh, right! Sorry, very sorry," he said weakly, scrambling out of the room.  
  
outside...  
  
"YURI! Bastard, you set me up!!!"  
  
Yuri raised an eyebrow. "I take it that it didn't go well?"  
  
"Hell no! You didn't tell me she was taking a shower!"  
  
"Idiot, you heard the shower running; you CHOSE not to leave!"  
  
"Yeah well, how was I supposed to know she'd come out wearing nothing but a towel?!"  
  
"A towel huh? No wonder you're so...excited," he said wryly, glancing down.  
  
Will stared, then looked down. "Oh crap! When did that happen?!" he wailed in   
embarrassment.  
  
inside...  
  
Riko blushed even more as she listened to the boys' conversation. "Oh great...Why is it  
that guys get turned on so easily?" she moaned as she went over to the box Will had placed  
on her desk. Picking it up, she opened it. Inside was a scarf. "Thought you would like  
this," Riko read the note that came with it, then blushed again. "Horny bastard..."  
  
"Give it up, girl. You know you're flattered," a voice in her head sang.  
  
"Shut up!" Riko told her conscience angrily. "He had no business seeing me almost  
naked-"  
  
"You know you wanted it!"  
  
"Grr..." Riko gave up in her fight against her mind, then sighed. "Damn it," she  
murmured, walking over to the mirror with the scarf.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Thomas hesitated by Clare's room as he walked down the hall. "I wonder how she's coping,"  
he muttered, remembering. Clare had not taken it very well when she saw her brother only  
half-sane and being dragged off to who knows where, still screaming and crying. She had  
stood there mutely, eyes wide with horror, before turning and racing off to her room.  
Last time he checked, she had been sobbing, and had refused to see anyone, including her  
parents and Giselle. Thomas doubted he would have much better luck, but he pressed his  
ear against her door. "Well, at least she's not crying anymore-Whoops!"  
  
The door suddenly opened, and Thomas tumbled in. Looking up, he said sheepishly, "Oh,  
sorry Clare. I wanted to see if you were okay or not..." he trailed off uncertainly.  
  
Clare stared down at him, eyes blank and emotionless. Suddenly, she closed the door.  
Thomas blinked in confusion. "...Clare?"  
  
"Thomas...make me forget. Please," she whispered, still staring down at him with  
her dull eyes. "Make me forget it all..."  
  
"Clare, I don't understand. What do you mean?"  
  
"Do it. I don't care how. Just do it," she said. Suddenly, she began taking off  
her clothes. "Do it, Thomas. I don't want to feel anymore..."  
  
"Shit, Clare! What the hell?!" he sputtered, scrambling to his feet. Backing  
away slowly, he said, "Oookay. I know you're upset. But um, Clare, hehe, this REALLY   
isn't what you want. Trust me. If we do...THAT, it'll be the stupidest thing either of  
us has ever done. Look, I respect you, heck okay, I kinda like you a bit more than as a  
friend, but the LAST thing-"  
  
Clare laughed harshly, cutting him off. Removing her last pieces of clothing, she stood in  
front of him completely naked. Gesturing, she said, "Thomas, don't you want this? I  
know you do..."  
  
"Clare, please! Don't tempt me!" he pleaded, trying not to look. "I already told  
you, I RESPECT you, Clare! Don't tempt me like that!"  
  
Clare's eyes filled with tears. "Thomas, why won't you help me?" she cried. "My brother's  
gone mad, Thomas! I can feel it! I'm going to snap soon, and I know it! You're the only  
person I can turn to!"  
  
"Clare, having sex DEFINITELY is not the answer! And look, how old are we?  
Fifteen? Come on Clare, don't be like that...Don't cry," he soothed, going over to Clare,  
who had started to cry softly. "Clare-HEY!" he sputtered as Clare suddenly grabbed him  
and yanked him to the floor. "Clare, stop it!" he said weakly, his resolve weakening.  
He struggled to get off of her, but she buried her face in his chest. "Thomas...please,"  
she whimpered, shoulders shaking. "I know this is wrong, but..." and she looked up at  
him with tear-filled eyes. Thomas sighed. "Damn me and my hormones," he swore before  
finally succumbing.   
  
Dorothy paused, her hand on the doorknob, as she heard the noises coming from inside her  
daughter's room. Hesitantly, she opened the door a crack and peeked in, then sighed and  
closed it again. Leaning against the wall, she murmured, "Oh Quatre, I KNEW we should  
have told her. Clare...what have you gotten yourself into?" she sighed, eyes downcast.  
"Your life's going to be permanently changed from now on..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
AN: This (rather long) chapter is dedicated to Jaasalin, who asked to have a character  
named after her. Hey, I told you I'd get around to it (eventually)! More's to come! 


	29. Part Twentynine: Empath's Daughter Grief...

Chapter 39  
  
Thomas groaned, and opened one eye sleepily. "Man...I'm so tired...Hey! How did I end up  
on the floor?" he wondered, glancing confusedly at his surroundings. Blinking furiously,  
he stood up to take in better his surroundings. "Geez, this isn't even my room! Do I  
sleep walk or something-OH!" he suddenly sputtered, remembering the previous night's  
experience. "Oh great, I seriously fucked up last night," he groaned.  
  
Elsewhere, Clare stood dumbly in the shower. "I'm such a whore," she whispered, hiding her  
face in her hands as she fell to her knees. "Why, why, WHY did I do that?"  
  
Outside, Thomas was hastily gathering his clothes when he suddenly stopped. "Clare?" he  
wondered.  
  
clare?  
  
Clare's eyes snapped open. "Did I...Did I just hear...?"  
  
Thomas frowned, more confused than before. He couldn't really understand it, but he could  
have sworn he had just felt feelings of shame, and then feelings of shock. He stood there  
for a moment, lost in thought, before shrugging. "Damn...I must need some serious sleep,"  
he sighed, running a hand distractedly through his hair. Opening the door, he glanced  
back at the closed bathroom door. "Feel better soon, Clare," he said softly, before  
exiting.  
  
"NO!" Clare wailed, realization hitting her. Beating her fists against the tiled  
wall of the shower, she whispered frantically, "No, no, I'm NORMAL! Please, no, no..."  
she whimpered. "What have I DONE?" she moaned in despair. Even now, she could see clearly,  
Thomas, heading to his room, Thomas stepping into the bathroom, Thomas brushing his   
teeth...Every action, every thought, she could feel as clearly as her own. Leaning against  
the wall in shame and despair, she wearily shut the water off. "Why me?" she whispered  
before stepping out of the shower.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Mariko stared with despair at the sight before her. She had gotten up early in the morning  
and had headed over to the infirmary to see how Rayan was holding up. But as she looked  
at the sight before her, she really wished that she was anywhere but there.  
  
Rayan sat on a bed, with his knees curled up to his chest. His arms were wrapped around  
his legs, and he sat there, rocking back and forth and whimpering to himself. Occasionally,  
a sob would make its way from his throat, but other than that, he did and said absolutely  
nothing.  
  
Riko sighed and moved to run her hand through her hair, a habit she had picked up through  
the years, but then stopped as her hand encountered a silk scarf instead. "Oh, that's  
right," she said to herself, blushing as she remembered how Will had clumsily given it to  
her.  
  
Riko stayed in Rayan's doorway a little longer before she finally screwed up the courage to  
go in. Tentatively stepping over the threshold, she made her way over to the bed. "Rayan,"  
she began, sitting down on the bed.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he shrieked, glancing up with wild eyes before burrowing his face  
in his knees again. Riko started, jumping up from the bed in reflex before catching  
herself. Flushing with shame, she looked at Rayan to see if she had hurt his feelings, but  
then reasoned grimly that he probably didn't have any feelings to hurt at the moment.  
  
"You'd better go," Quatre called wearily, coming in. His eyes were red and bleary,  
and his usually neat hair was sticking up all over the place. "He...he doesn't want  
anyone making contact with him."  
  
Riko nodded. "I see," she whispered, backing away slowly. "How long do the doctors think  
it will be before he comes to his senses?"  
  
Quatre shook his head in grief. "No one knows," he admitted. Glancing at her, he said,  
"You know...that he's an empath like me?"  
  
"Tousan mentioned it to me, but I never understood what it meant," she admitted.  
"Does it mean he can feel the emotions of others?"  
  
"That's right...but right now, I can't even reach him. His mind has closed, even  
to me," he whispered, closing his eyes in pain.  
  
"I...I'm sorry," Riko said meekly, not wanting to see her parents' good friend in  
pain. Quatre smiled at her wearily. "It's not your fault, Riko," he said gently. "Don't  
apologize for something you don't need to."  
  
Riko nodded, and turned to go. On her way out, she glanced over at one of the adjoining  
rooms and paused. "Quatre-sama, who's that?"  
  
Quatre followed her gaze, then smiled thinly. "Oh, her? She's a little girl we found in  
a lab after the Neo-Rommefeller had fled. She was strapped to a chair and unconscious."  
  
"Strapped...to a...chair?" Riko whispered, eyes widening in realization. "Quatre-  
sama! Is she-?"  
  
"-the one who was controlling the dolls? Yes," he finished, answering her   
question. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "How she did it is beyond me, but we are sure  
of two things: one, she was probably experimented on, and two, she was the one that Rayan  
heard in his mind."  
  
"So there WAS a little girl screaming," Riko said, closing her eyes in grief.  
"Poor child..."   
  
a few minutes later...  
  
Will and Giselle ran down the hallway, glad to be able to get away from their dishes, if  
only for a few minutes. Even after the battle, Lady Une had sent them marching back to the  
kitchen, and it was only through fifteen minutes of begging, groveling, and puppy dog eyes  
that she had relented and allowed them thirty minutes of vacation time to go visit Rayan.  
  
"Ha! Even after all this time, I've still got my charm!" Will crowed, puffing out  
his chest in pride.  
  
"Ew! Will, you pervert, Lady Une's twice your age!" Giselle retorted, hoping to  
crush his ego a little.  
  
"Well, someone had to do it! YOU certainly weren't any help-"  
  
"Me?! Excuse me, if it weren't for ME, we wouldn't have-Look out!"  
  
"Huh? OW!"  
  
"HEY!" Riko yelped before Will crashed headlong into her. Giselle groaned and hid  
her face in her hands. "Just where did my father's grace disappear off to in you?" she  
muttered. "Either your mother had two left feet, or you're just a klutz."  
  
"I resent that!" Will said furiously, getting to his feet. Holding out his hand,  
he said, "Sorry Riko-RIKO?! Wha...What are YOU doing here?!"  
  
"Certainly not getting run over by idiots like you!" she said angrily, slapping   
away his hand and standing up. "Can't you watch where you're going?"  
  
Giselle smirked. "Charm, eh? Can't say I see it!" Laughing at the angry scowl on Will's  
face, she tilted her head and frowned. "Hey, Riko. Cute scarf! Where'd you get it?"  
  
"Um, well, er," she stuttered, trying not the look at Will. Glancing around  
frantically, she sputtered, "Oh whoops! Look at the time! Best be going now!" and she  
hurridly made her escape.  
  
Giselle blinked. "Will-?"  
  
"Ah who me? Why of course not! What scarf? I didn't give her no scarf! Oh...  
crap..." he groaned, smacking himself on the head.  
  
Too late. A huge grin appeared on Giselle's face. "Ooh...Someone likes someone!" she  
sang.  
  
"Shut up!" he snarled, lunging at her, but she danced nimbly out of the way.  
Still grinning, she said, "So, just how much are you gonna pay me to keep quiet?"  
  
"I don't owe you nothin'!"  
  
"Reeeaally...Oh, good morning Heero-sama!" she called cheerfully, waving.  
  
Will paled. "Heero...sama?" he said weakly, turning around. Sure enough, there Heero was,  
and he was heading their way. "Good morning," Heero said.  
  
Giselle's smile grew even bigger. "Hey, Heero-sama, guess what! Will-"  
  
"Okay okay! I give in! I'll give you anything! Just don't tell...YOU know," Will  
groveled, throwing himself at Giselle's feet. "He'll kill me!"  
  
Giselle smiled triumphantly. "Oh, sorry, Heero-sama. Never mind!" she finished before  
cheerfully bouncing down the hallway, Will sullenly dragging his feet after her.  
  
Heero just shook his head. "I must really be getting old," he muttered. 


	30. Part Thirty: Jaasalin's Tragedy Failure ...

Chapter 40  
  
Mariemaia studied the frightened child in front of her. The little girl had   
finally come out of her coma many hours of ago, but she had been so hysterical that   
doctors had been forced to sedate her until she calmed down. The poor child had just  
woken up again, and from the looks of it, she was still terrified.  
  
Jaasalin looked back at the woman in front of her, mute with fright. Thousands of  
questions raced through her head. Would they kill her? Would they torture her? Or,   
worst of all, would they send her back to the lab?   
  
Just when she was about to break into another fear-induced fit, Mariemaia spoke.  
"Little one, could you please-"  
  
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't want to do it! I didn't want to do any of it!  
Please don't hurt me! Please don't send me back to them!" Jaasalin shrieked. Before  
Mariemaia could say anything, the child jumped up from the bed and ran to the door, only  
to find that it was locked. Beating futilely on the door, she wailed, "Let me out! Let  
me out! Please, someone, anyone! Help me!"  
  
Mariemaia stood up quickly, then winced as her stomach lurched. Slowly making her way  
over to Jaasalin, who was still wrestling with the door, she said gently, "I'm not going to  
hurt you. No one here is. Please stay calm. All I want to do is ask some questions-"  
  
"Questions...questions...THEY did that too. They did it, right before they took  
me away. They asked questions, so many questions...then they...they..." Jaasalin muttered,  
hunched over and shaking. "They...they..."  
  
"What did they do?" Mariemaia asked in a voice she hoped was soothing. "Can you  
tell me what they did?"  
  
"They killed them! My family...my entire family! All of them...Mommy, Daddy,   
even my grandparents, cousins, everyone! My brother! My...my dog! Then they burned  
everything...my house, the cars...I know what they did. The newspapers called it an  
'accident.' It was no accident! I READ what kind of garbage they put in it! Lies...all  
of it! Lies!" she burst out before finally starting to sob. Continuing, she said  
bitterly, "Then they took me...to their lab. They experimented on me...on other children.  
Hundreds, no, THOUSANDS of them. Then they all started to die...one by one, they all  
began to die. Finally, it was my turn...They strapped me into their disgusting machines...  
made me do their filthy commands...PUNISHED me if I didn't...I can't take it! I can't I  
can't I CAN'T!"  
  
Mariemaia watched the crying child thoughtfully. "Experimented on?" she said to herself  
quietly. That explained a lot. After all, how else could such a young child have such  
a large vocabulary? Filthy certainly wasn't a word little girls used that oftenly, and  
if she could already read newspapers...  
  
"What kind of experimenting did they do on you?"  
  
"They called it...'intelligence-enhancement,'" she choked out, still crying.  
"Everyday, they put us through test after test; poured poisons into our brains. Some of  
that killed them...I can hear their screams in my head. They died slowly...painfully..."  
  
"And they did it because?"  
  
"Because they needed someone to control their mobile doll units...but it was too  
dangerous for them to sacrifice any of their soldiers. So they used us instead," Jaasalin  
said bitterly. Sadly, she looked up at Mariemaia. "Do you...do you know how long we  
lasted? A week, maybe a few days more. Then we either died or went insane. Made no  
difference; they killed the insane ones anyway..."  
  
Jaasalin sagged limply against the door, too tired to cry anymore. Closing her eyes, she  
said, "And now...I don't know what will happen to me. Without the drugs, I don't know  
what'll happen to me. I'll lose all the enhanced intellectual abilities; I'll go back to  
being a normal child. What I don't know is if it'll kill me in the process...Oh!" she  
said in surprise as Mariemaia suddenly gave her a hug.  
  
"Don't worry," Mariemaia said gently. "We'll take care of you. We have some of  
the world's best doctors on staff. They'll take care of you. You wouldn't mind going back  
to being a normal child, would you?"  
  
Jaasalin shook her head fiercely. Burrowing her face into Mariemaia's shoulder, she said  
in a muffled voice, "I WANT to be normal again! I hate being such a freak! Normal   
children...they don't have to be in wars. They don't have to fight. They don't have to  
watch their families get killed; watch the ones around them die...More than anything, I  
just want to be normal again..."  
  
"What's your name, little one? How old are you?"  
  
"My name's Jaasalin. I'm five years old."  
  
"Well Jaasalin, my name's Mariemaia. You can call me Marie, if you would like.  
Don't you ever worry about being sent back again. We'll take care of you. I promise you  
that."  
  
Jaasalin's eyes filled with tears again. "Thank you...Miss Marie." Smiling a little,  
she said, "You know, Mommy had red hair too. But she didn't have blue eyes. They were  
green. But Daddy did...and so did my brother. I miss them..." she whimpered.  
  
"Shh shh. You're safe now," Mariemaia soothed, rocking her back and forth, wishing  
that there were something that she could do to comfort her...wishing that she could have  
been holding her own lost child at the moment...  
  
later...  
  
"Thomas! Hey! Thomas!" Geoffry called, running down hall. "Thomas geez...THOMAS!"  
he finally shouted, catching up to his friend. "Haven't you heard me?! What's wrong with  
you today?" Geoffry said in a frustrated voice.   
  
Thomas' glazed eyes cleared. "Huh? What? Were you saying something? OW!" he  
finished furiously as Geoffry smacked him on the head. "What's your problem?!" he  
demanded angrily.  
  
Geoffry glared back just as angrily. "What's my problem?! Didn't you just hear the  
announcement?! Neo-Rommefeller's pissed! They're launching an attack on L1 colonies! We  
need to go, and we need to go now! Lady Une's furious that you missed the briefing, to  
say nothing of your parents! And-"  
  
"I'm scared. I don't want you to go," Thomas blurted out suddenly, then frowned.  
"Huh? Did I just say something?"  
  
Geoffry stared at him. "Thomas..." he said slowly, "is there something wrong with you?"  
  
"Well, I've been feeling weird all day. Like...I'm not me. Like I'm someone  
else...but that's not quite right either. I don't know how to explain it-"  
  
"THOMAS!" Jerry roared, storming down the hallway. Stopping in front of his  
younger brother, he snarled, "Where...the...hell...WERE...YOU?!?!"  
  
"I...I...I don't know," he muttered, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. "I can't  
really remember much...I'm sorry I made you forget about the meeting. What?!"  
  
Both Jerry and Geoffry stared at him. "This isn't the time to joke Thomas!" Jerry said  
angrily. Turning around angrily, he growled, "You have seven minutes to get your ass in  
gear," before stomping back down the hall.  
  
Thomas slumped against the wall, head in his hands. "What have I done?" he murmured  
tiredly.  
  
a little while later...  
  
"You know Maxwell, I'd usually expect your brother to pull such a stupid stunt  
like missing a meeting, but I have to admit, I'm pretty surprised at you right now," Wuten  
called over snidely over the intercom. Ignoring Thomas' silence, he continued, "Bad   
enough that you missed the meeting, but to completely miss the announcement blasted   
throughout the compound? 'Thomas Maxwell, please come to the briefing now. Paging  
Thomas Maxwell!'" he mimicked.  
  
"Look, 'Chang,'" Thomas shot back, "I KNOW I screwed up, all right? Heck-"  
  
"You did more than 'screw up,'" Wuten retorted. Returning his focus to patrolling  
the area, he muttered, "I just hope you know what you're doing."  
  
"Yeah yeah. I don't need you to rub it in, okay?"  
  
"For the record, you DO know your assignment, right?"  
  
"Of course I do! I...I..." Thomas stuttered, clutching his head. "I knew it! Why  
can't I remember it?!"  
  
Wuten couldn't take it anymore. "MAXWELL!" he exploded. "What the FUCK is your  
problem?! Here we are, fighting in a war that determines the fate of the entire known  
world, and here you are, in the most powerful mobile suit ever created, and you can't  
remember something as simple as your DAMN FUCKING JOB?!?!"  
  
"What's going on over there?" Giselle's voice came over. Ever since Rayan had  
come back, she had thrown herself at the war and everything in it. She had visited him in  
the infirmary a few times, and was overheard to have said that she would fight her  
hardest if that was what it would take to bring Rayan's sanity back. "Is everything okay?"  
  
"Oh yes! Fine except that Maxwell here has forgotten what to do!"  
  
Silence. Then, "Wuten, you're joking, right?"  
  
"What was it that you said, dear Younger Cousin? Oh, that I couldn't joke if my  
life depended on it? Well, there you go!"  
  
"Look Giselle, I swear I know what I'm supposed to do! It's just...like someone's  
blocking my memory or something..." he trailed off helplessly, then slammed his fist  
into the console when the intercom crackled to life once again, only this time it was his  
father. "Dad?"  
  
"Thomas. Get back down here. Now," Duo said coldly.  
  
"But Dad! My mission-"  
  
"We'll send Mariko."  
  
"But she doesn't know what to do!"  
  
"Well, it won't make a difference now will it?!" Duo shouted into the intercom,  
barely keeping his temper in check. "If you know what's good for you, you'll come back  
now!" he growled before angrily cutting the connection.  
  
"FUCK!" Thomas snarled angrily up in space before ashamedly heading back for Earth.  
  
back on Earth...  
  
Thomas opened Wing Zero's hatch and slowly came out. Expecting to see a crowd of angry  
adults, he was surprised when all he saw was Duo. Slowly raising his hands, he said,  
"Dad, I swear, I don't know what's going on with me-"  
  
"Don't give me that crap."  
  
Thomas winced at his father's sharp tone. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. "Look,  
I really don't-"  
  
Thoams was cut off abruptly once again, but this time by Duo's fist. Falling heavily to  
the ground, he looked up at his father in shock.  
  
Duo, breathing heavily, growled slowly, "Have I...not TAUGHT you ANYTHING?!"  
  
"I...I..."  
  
"You don't lie to me! That's what I've taught you, isn't it?! You...don't...  
ever...fucking LIE to me!" he shouted, fists clenched.  
  
"I'M NOT LYING!"  
  
"AND DON'T YOU USE THAT TONE OF VOICE WITH ME, THOMAS MAXWELL!" Duo shouted back  
just as angrily. "I've heard what you said, 'Oh, I don't know what's wrong with me! Oh,  
I've just been preoccupied all day. Oh, I swear I have amnesia!' What kind of bull shit  
is that?!"  
  
"It's the goddamn fucking truth Dad! Whether or not you believe me, it's true!"  
Thomas said desperately. "I DON'T know what's wrong with me! I have NO IDEA!"  
  
The veins began to bulge in Duo's forehead. Stepping slowly towards his son, he said, "So  
you want to be smart with me now, is it? So you want-"  
  
"Duo!" Quatre shouted, running in. Duo turned around and said in a strained voice.  
"Quatre. I have everything under control. Please, leave."  
  
"Duo, I don't think Thomas is lying," Quatre said quietly in a disturbed voice.  
Duo stared at him. "What do you mean?"  
  
Quatre shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I don't know, but I've been sensing some very  
strong thoughts recently. It's almost as if two people were constantly thinking the same  
way, and doing the same things. I finally figured out that it was coming from Thomas."  
  
"Thomas? Look, Quatre, I know about you being an empath. I know about Rayan being  
an empath. But Thomas? How could that work?"  
  
"That's the thing. I don't know. I don't know how it could possibly work. But  
I know two things: The first is, Thomas isn't lying to you. I can guarantee it. I'm no  
psychic, but feelings of betrayal, hurt, and anger can't be counterfeited. His feelings  
are genuine. The second is that I can feel many of his other thoughts, thoughts that I  
wouldn't be able to normally feel in a person. But I just don't get how-"  
  
"Oh my God..." Thomas whispered, slowly sitting up. Staring ahead of him in shock,  
he choked out, "It...it's true. But why...why wasn't I told? Dammit, why the hell wasn't  
I told?!" he shouted, leaping to his feet and racing down the hall.  
  
"Thomas! Come back!" Duo shouted, but Thomas was long gone.  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
Thomas ran furiously down the hall, the blood pounding in his veins. Racing past confused  
looking Preventers as well as some of his other friends, he weaved in and out of hallways,  
not sure of exactly where he was going, but just knowing that he would end up where he had  
to.  
  
Finally, he reached a door and flung it open. Storming in, he shouted accusingly at the  
only other person in the room, "YOU!"  
  
Clare stared down at her hands silently, not knowing what to say. She had known he was  
coming, of course. His feelings were certainly projected obviously enough, but now that  
he was here, she didn't know what to say.  
  
Thomas noted her discomfort, but at this point, he no longer cared. Stomping across the  
room, he stopped about ten feet in front of her. "You...you BITCH! Do you have any idea  
how much trouble you've caused me?! I don't know what the fucking hell it is that you are,  
brainwashing me and whatnot, but dammit, you're just a fucking whore, you know that?! A  
fucking WHORE!"  
  
Clare still didn't say anything, although tears began to well up in her eyes. Thomas  
continued, "Yeah, cry all you want, bitch! Cry all the hell you want! I want you OUT of  
my head, you got it?! Out! I don't want ANYTHING to do with you anymore! Not a thing!  
Got it? Hey! Hey, I'm talking to you! HEY!" he said furiously, closing the last bit of  
distance between them. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he began to shake her. "Do you  
hear me?! Are you deaf?! I said..." and he trailed off when he heard the sound of   
something hit the ground. Slowly looking down, he saw that it was a blood-stained knife.  
Thomas stared at it dumbly, then quickly turned his gaze back to Clare. Yanking up her  
arms, he could only stare with shock at the blood that was running down from her wrists  
and to the floor. "Clare..."  
  
Clare smiled savagely, swaying a little. "You...you want me out of your head? Fine..."  
she whispered, feeling darkness creeping over her. Slowly sinking to the blood-stained  
floor, she murmured, "Fine, I'll leave your head. I'll leave it...permanently..." she  
said slowly, her eyes closing as she hit the floor.  
  
Thomas stared at Clare's body. "Clare?" he whispered. "Clare-chan? Clare...Clare! This  
isn't funny! Clare, come on, wake up! Wake up!" he cried, kneeling down and shaking her.  
"CLARE!" he screamed, and the feeling that he had felt in his mind all day, the feeling of  
someone else living with him, breathing with him, slowly evaporated. 


	31. Part Thirtyone: Life Partners

Chapter 41  
  
"Thomas! Thomas! Oh my God, Thomas! What happened here?! What happened to   
Clare?!" Eva cried, running into the room. Kneeling down and staring in horror at Clare's  
still body, she turned to her brother and cried, "Thomas! Why won't you do anything?!   
Why won't you help her?! Help! HELP!!! Somebody, please help!"  
  
Thomas stared blankly ahead, not hearing the frantic cries of his younger sister. "No..."  
he whispered to himself, slowly shaking his head. "No, she's not dead. She can't be...  
So why can't I feel her anymore...NO! NO NO NO!!!" he screamed, leaping to his feet.  
Flinging the door open, he ran out of the room as fast as he could. "I won't believe it!  
No, she can't be dead! She...she CAN'T be!"  
  
"THOMAS!" Eva screamed, cradling Clare's head. "Thomas! Where are you going?!  
Thomas, come back! Help her! Help me!"  
  
Elsewhere, in the infirmary, Rayan's blank eyes cleared for the first time. "Cl-Clare?"  
he whispered. "Oh no...CLARE!" he screamed in agony. Leaping off the bed, he tore down  
the hallway before any of the shocked doctors could react. Reaching Clare's room, he  
could only stare in shock at the scene before him.  
  
"CLARE!!!"  
  
a few minutes later...  
  
Quatre stared in pain at his daughter's still form, then started when he felt a touch on  
his arm. Turning around, he saw that it was Trowa. "Trowa, I-"  
  
"Quatre..." he said quietly, taking in the various machines that Clare was   
currently hooked up to. "Quatre, I don't know how to say this, but the doctors don't  
think Clare's going to survive," he said gently.  
  
Quatre nodded dumbly, then suddenly slumped forward. "Quatre!" Trowa cried, catching him  
before he hit the floor. "Quatre..." he murmured sadly as he watched him begin to sob.  
  
"How...how could I have not sensed it?" he said, his voice racked by sobs. "How  
could I have not sensed her pain? I should have known when she first picked up the knife!  
I should have felt her sorrow! So, why couldn't I? Why did I fail her?!" he cried  
bitterly, consumed with pain and grief. "It's bad enough I almost lost my son to insanity,  
but now this?! Why Trowa, WHY?!"  
  
Outside, Rayan stared at a wall, blue eyes flinty and fists clenched. "Why?" he whispered  
angrily. "Why did she...WHY WERE YOU SO STUPID?!" he howled, punching the wall. Feeling  
a gentle brush on his shoulder, he whirled around angrily, "Leave me-Giselle..." he  
sighed, bitter words dying on his lips.  
  
Giselle didn't say a word, but her bright eyes said everything. Wrapping her arms around   
her distraught boyfriend, she held him as Rayan fell to his knees, sorrowful tears  
flowing from his eyes.  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Thomas ran madly through the brush, not caring where he went. Tripping over a tree  
root, he fell heavily to the ground. He lay there for a few minutes before getting to his  
hands and knees and slowly making his way over to a nearby stream. Splashing water on  
his face, he stared blankly at his reflection, then fell backwards when another's  
reflection appeared in the water.  
  
"Clare! No," he whispered, closing his eyes. "No..." he said again, hiding his  
face in his hands. "No, you're gone. You're gone forever..."  
  
"Try again."  
  
Blinking in surprise, Thomas jerked his head up and backwards towards the acerbic voice.  
  
Dorothy Catalonia stood there, regarding the disheveled young man cooly. Thomas knew  
how pathetic he looked, with his wild eyes, mussed hair, and tearstained face. Dorothy  
was dressed immaculately, her long blond hair pulled back in a long ponytail, and a  
shining fencing foil at her side. At seeing the foil, Thomas closed his eyes, waiting.  
"Go ahead...Kill me. I killed her. I killed your daughter," he whispered.  
  
"Clare's not dead. Not yet, anyway," Dorothy corrected briskly, casually tucking  
back a stray strand of her hair. "No thanks to you, but she's still alive."  
  
"She is? But then, why can't I-"  
  
"-feel her in your mind? Probably because you've forced her out. She's too  
ashamed to open herself up to you, and now it's killing her. Rejection from her life's  
partner is more deadly than any knife." Bending down to Thomas' level, she said, "Do  
you have any idea what Clare is?" Thomas said nothing.  
  
Dorothy snorted. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she straightened. "I thought not.  
Well, that's why I'm here.  
  
"Many years ago, a young girl realized that she feel the thoughts of those close  
to her. She had no brothers or sisters, but she had a mother and a father that she  
loved very much. They, in turn, doted on her.  
  
"When the girl was very young, her mother died from cancer. Slowly wasting away,  
wracked with pain everyday, her emotions were laid bare to her terrified daughter. Her  
pain was her daughter's pain, and when she finally died, the little girl felt as if she  
herself had died.  
  
"Not wanting to experience such pain again, the girl closed herself off. Or at  
least, she tried. She successfully distanced herself from most of the people she knew,  
but as hard as she tried, she could not keep herself from closing herself off from her  
father. Her father was her life, and she realized that whoever she loved, she could feel  
the thoughts of. Resigning herself to her fate, she stopped fighting her abilities.  
  
"Years passed. The little girl grew into a teenager, and as she grew older, she  
became even closer to her father. And of course, that meant that she could feel his   
thoughts more clearly than before. But now, she saw nothing wrong with it. She secretly  
delighted in knowing whenever her father would be throwing a surprise party for her, and  
she loved to always be able to know how much he loved her.  
  
"But her happiness did not last. As the years went by, she realized her father's  
thoughts became increasingly clouded with thoughts of war, and although her father tried  
to hide the truth from her, she realized that her world was about to spin out of control.  
Finally, her father was called away to fight, and one terrible day, her father was killed in  
battle. His daughter experienced every minute of it with him.  
  
"That did it. Now an orphan, the girl became cold, bitter, and full of hate. She  
vowed never to love anyone again. Love seemed to cause her only pain, and so, in an   
attempt to revenge herself at the world, she plunged headfirst into the war her father had  
tried to keep her from, hoping to make others feel the pain she did."  
  
Dorothy paused for a moment, lost in thought, then sighed, "And so, when I finally met  
Quatre in the Eve Wars, I couldn't believe there was someone else out there with abilities  
like mine, and even more strange, he willingly embraced them. I? I tried everything I  
could to suppress them. Quatre stood for everything I wished I could be deep down, and  
because of that, I longed to be with him...but I hated him as well. Bitter, I tried to  
defeat him, and when I couldn't, I seized the opportunity to kill him, sure that even if  
I failed in that attempt, at least he would be so repulsed by me I would never have to see  
him again.  
  
"Famous last words. Instead of pushing me away, he tried to get even closer to me.  
I spurned his efforts, angry at the fact that I knew he could detect all of my emotions,  
and even more terrified at the fact that, even as I fought him, I could feel myself   
slowly beginning to feel his thoughts as well, a sure sign that I was beginning to love him.  
So after the Eve Wars, I disappeared.  
  
"I thought I was finally rid of him. I made special efforts to be as far away from  
him as possible, and when he didn't make any effort to find me afterwards, I thought I was  
finally safe. But then came the Barton coup, and no matter how I tried, I couldn't stay  
away from it. I knew the Gundam pilots would be there...I knew HE would be there too, and  
I just couldn't keep myself away.  
  
"I finally reached Brussels, just in time for the battle. And just like before,  
he could sense that I was there. His emotions rushed through me: He knew he was fighting  
an impossible battle, but he still fought. He fought, knowing that he was outnumbered,   
knowing that he would probably die, all for a people that scorned him. And so I watched  
him; I watched the cowards that meekly waited for themselves to be subjected to Mariemaia's  
rule. And I was filled with anger. I furiously denounced their cowardice; I challenged;  
I scolded; and in my own way, I begged. I begged these ignorant people to see the truth,  
to realize the tyranny that would befall them if they refused to fight. And so, just as  
the Gundams fought their battle, so I fought mine. And as I did so, I knew that he was  
listening. I felt his surprise, then gratitude, and when the battle was finally over, I  
knew that I could hide from him no more."  
  
Finishing, Dorothy looked at Thomas with shrewd eyes. "THIS is what kind of person  
Clare is. She'll feel every emotion of the one she loves. And, in return, her own  
thoughts, emotions, and actions are laid bare. It is the most complete form of love there  
is. You've felt it, haven't you?" she challenged him, and when he nodded hesitantly, she  
said scornfully, "But you weren't willing to accept it, now were you? You didn't want to  
have to deal with her and her abilities. She was willing to love you with everything she  
had, but to you, she was just a freak. Isn't that so?"  
  
"No!" Thomas exploded. "She's no freak! But...but I'm only fifteen years old!  
What do you want me to do? I can't commit myself this early-"  
  
"Your parents knew they were right for each other as soon as they met!" she  
snapped. Stooping down, she forced him to look at her. "Thomas Maxwell," she said quietly,  
"do you love Clare? Can you deny the truth even from yourself?"  
  
"How did you know?" he said miserably, wiping away his tears.  
  
Dorothy tossed her head. Standing up, she said, "I'm her mother. I know these things,  
empathic powers or not. The question is now then, what are you going to do about it?"  
  
"What can I do? I killed her," he said miserably. "If she's not dead yet, she'll  
be dead soon-Hey!" he yelped as the foil swept an inch above his head.  
  
"Idiot!" Dorothy snarled, her patience fading. "Use that head of yours! There's  
only one person in this world right now that can save her, and that person is you! And  
don't even try to play cute with me, we both know that you know it. You are her LIFE'S  
PARTNER. Your spirits are one. One cannot live without the other. Your rejection of her  
harms her more than any blade in the world can, so go fix it! Come on, get UP!" she  
said, reaching and yanking him up by the arm. Glaring at him, she said, "Do you want to  
do this or not?"  
  
Yanking his arm free, he said angrily, "Of course I do! But...but what if I'm just an  
idiot? I've hurt her once already, and if I mess up again, I'll...I'll kill her!"  
  
Dorothy sighed, her anger fading. Sheathing her foil, she said, "Your father, amazingly  
enough, has an IQ of 177, and if nothing else, your mother has three times the amount of  
common sense he has. It's impossible for you to be stupid. Now, are you coming back with  
me or not?" At his tentative nod, she said briskly, "Good!" and unsheathed her foil once  
again. "Oh, stop that look," she said coldly at his shocked expression. Waving the blade  
around, she said, "I never planned on running you through. I just brought this to hack   
away all those plants that were in my way. Though," and she glanced at the trampled  
brush, "you did a pretty good job of blazing a path, even if it was unintentional. Now  
march!"  
  
elsewhere...  
  
Somewhere, between life and death, Clare felt herself slowing falling. Her eyes were not  
open, but she knew there was nothing to see. Darkness surrounded her, complete and total  
darkness. Finally, however, she felt herself hit water. With a gentle splash, she fell   
into the water and begin to sink. Her hair and clothes billowed out around her, and she   
could feel a current slowly pushing her. The water was cool to touch; she could not drown   
in it. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The waters were clear, but everything still seemed   
hazy. Her eyes couldn't seem to focus on anything. "Where am I?" she murmured,  
then closed her eyes again. "It doesn't matter," she sighed, relaxing under the river's   
gentle touch. "It'll be over soon," she thought. "Then I won't have to feel, won't have   
to think..."   
  
elsewhere...  
  
As Thomas was hurrying back, a vision suddenly appeared in his head. "Clare..." he  
whispered softly, his eyes unfocusing: He saw Clare falling through the darkness, he saw  
Clare falling into a river, he saw her being carried along through the river, and suddenly,  
he could see a waterfall in the distance, the bridge that would take her away from the  
realm of the living and into the world of the dead. "No," he said fiercely, breaking into a   
run. "Not yet...You won't take her away from me!" Running faster than before, he  
whispered, "River of death, don't take her away from me just yet. I'm coming to take her  
back to where she belongs. Clare, wait for me. I'm coming." 


	32. Part Thirtytwo: Revival

Chapter 42  
  
Giselle glanced up from Clare's still form and sighed. The small room where Clare was was  
  
completely silent, save for the regular beeping of the machines. "They're the only constant  
  
thing we can still grasp onto," she thought sadly. Casting her eyes about the room, she  
  
silently noted its occupants: Rayan, sitting on the other side of the bed holding Clare's  
  
still hand, hunched over with grief; Quatre, sitting next to his son, eyes glazed over;  
  
her parents, unobtrusively standing off to the side, eyes filled with sadness; the rest of  
  
them gathered in various parts of the room, Jerry holding Eva, who was sniffling   
  
occasionally, Reena, Aelis, and Riko clutching each other anxiously, the Chang twins  
  
eyeing the bed uneasily. Fear, tension, and anxiety pervaded the room; the chaotic  
  
feelings nearly tangible and punctuated by the steady beeping of the machines struggling  
  
to win a battle that Clare herself did not want to win.  
  
Giselle returned her gaze to her comatose best friend. She wondered briefly where  
  
Dorothy was; wouldn't she want to be by her daughter's side? She also noted the absence  
  
of Thomas, and her hands clenched. "That bastard!" she thought furiously, frustratedly.  
  
"How COULD he?!" she thought murderously, recounting Eva's tearfully blurted explanation  
  
of how he had taken flight. "I swear, if Clare dies-"  
  
Her thoughts were abruptly cut off as the door was suddenly opened. Dorothy stood framed  
  
in the light, calm and collected as always. Quatre started, and began to stand.  
  
"Dorothy-"  
  
A quick jerk of her head cut him off as she gracefully stepped into the already crowded  
  
room and made way for a hunched figure. Stepping tentatively into the room, Thomas  
  
raised his tearstained face and glanced about uncertainly.  
  
Rayan abruptly rose. He stared at the other boy, then suddenly he lunged. "YOU!"   
  
Rayan snarled, hands on Thomas' throat. Thomas didn't resist, letting the older boy take  
  
him down to the ground. "You murderous, no good son of a bitch!" Rayan roared, throttling  
  
him. "You fucking bastard! I'll KILL you!"  
  
"Rayan!" Dorothy interjected coldly. Rayan looked up with wild eyes. "Kaasan-"  
  
"Let him up. Now."  
  
Ice blue eyes clashed for what seemed like an eternity, then Rayan slowly released his  
  
hold. Dorothy gave a curt nod of approval, then jerked her head at Thomas, indicating  
  
towards Clare's form on the bed. Thomas slowly got to his feet, then made his way over  
  
to the bed. He stood there a moment, gazing sadly down at Clare, then said, "But I don't  
  
know how-"  
  
"You know what you need to do. Do it," was Dorothy's short response.  
  
Thomas stared, shrugged his shoulders helplessly, then turned back to the bed. Then  
  
hesitatingly, he took Clare's cold hands, and closed his eyes.  
  
"Clare..."  
  
*********************  
  
Thomas started, staring around him. He seemed to be floating in space. But before he  
  
could wonder any further, he began to drop. He seemed to plunge towards an infinite  
  
darkness, but before he could panic, he felt himself hit water. Frantic, he clawed  
  
towards the surface, lungs bursting for the lack of air. Finally, his head broke free  
  
of the water. Gasping, he looked around for something to grab onto, but found nothing.  
  
He began to panic once again, but then saw a form floating a little ways ahead of him.  
  
"Clare!" he shouted, swimming towards her. "Clare! Can you hear me! Answer me!"  
  
Clare heard her name called, and slowly opened her eyes. Forcing herself upright by  
  
treading water, she turned and saw Thomas. "Thomas?!" she gasped, shocked.  
  
Thomas spat out water; the current was overwhelming him, but Clare seemed to be having no  
  
problems at all. Trying to keep his head above the water, he shouted back, "Clare! It's  
  
me! Come on, let's get out of here!"  
  
Clare's eyes hardened. "Get lost!" she spat, and suddenly, the waters became ferocious.  
  
Thomas felt himself being pushed under, the river trying to smother him.  
  
********************  
  
Back in the real world, Thomas suddenly gagged and fell to his knees, his entire body  
  
tense and his eyes squeezed tightly shut. However, his hands never let go of Clare's.   
  
Giselle glanced uneasily at Dorothy. "Dorothy-sama...exactly what is going on?"  
  
Dorothy's eyes never left Thomas. "He's trying to bring her back, and she's fighting him,"  
  
she stated simply.  
  
"But...but what will happen if he fails?"  
  
"They will both die."  
  
********************  
  
Fighting furiously against the river's wrath, Thomas once again clawed his way to the  
  
surface. Hacking and spitting out water, he shouted over to Clare, "Clare! I'm sorry!  
  
It's all my fault! Please forgive me, and let's go back! Give me another chance!"  
  
"Another chance Thomas? Another CHANCE?! Who called me a whore? Who said he didn't want  
  
anything to do with me? Huh? ANSWER ME!!" she screamed back, the river's current  
  
becoming fiercer and fiercer.  
  
Thomas felt himself getting sucked under again, but summoning more of his quickly waning  
  
energy, he shouted back, "I know I messed up! I was WRONG Clare! I was completely and  
  
totally wrong! I was scared, but now I'm asking for your forgiveness! Please Clare!  
  
Please LIVE! Please choose to live before it's too late!" he managed to finish before   
  
being forced under again.  
  
********************  
  
Rayan watched silently as Thomas began to writhe, then slowly, he stepped over toward  
  
him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he choked out, "Come on Thomas, be strong. You can  
  
do it. I...I know you can save my sister."  
  
********************  
  
Thomas felt a sudden surge of strength. Pushing himself upward, he started to call out to  
  
Clare once again, but was struck dumb at the sight of the looming waterfall behind her.  
  
"No," he whispered, horrified. Shaking himself out of it, he called out, "Clare, PLEASE!  
  
Please come back before it's too late! We're almost out of time!"  
  
"Out of time?" Clare asked, then turned around. She stared at the waterfall, then shook her  
  
head. "It's already too late Thomas," she said quietly, closing her eyes.  
  
Thomas felt the river pull at him again, and he knew this time there would be no coming  
  
back up again. Fighting with all his strength, he managed one phrase before he was  
  
completely pulled under.  
  
"Clare, I LOVE you!"  
  
********************  
  
Rayan started as Thomas suddenly went limp. Seeing his frightened expression, Giselle  
  
quickly stepped over to his side of the bed. Placing her hand on Thomas' other shoulder,  
  
she whispered fiercely, "Don't you dare give up! Come on Thomas, keep fighting! Bring  
  
Clare back!"  
  
********************  
  
Clare's eyes flew open at Thomas' sudden proclamation. "Thomas?" she called, waiting for  
  
him to reappear. When she received no response, she began to panic. "Thomas!" she  
  
screamed. "Thomas, come back! Please! Don't just say something stupid like that and  
  
then not-"  
  
She was abruptly cut off as she too was pulled under.  
  
********************  
  
Clare's already still body seemed to go lifeless as her pulse flatlined on the monitor.  
  
There was a collective gasp in the room, but Dorothy shook her head. "No," she said  
  
fiercely. "Not yet. It's not over yet."  
  
********************  
  
Clare clawed helplessly in the water, trying to reach the surface. "No!" she tried to  
  
scream, but the waters muffled her voice, choking her. She felt herself being pulled over.  
  
"Is...is this it?" she thought helplessly. Suddenly a hand grabbed hold of hers.  
  
Starting, she stared as Thomas appeared in front of her, his face determined.  
  
if you die, we will die together.  
  
Clare was shocked.  
  
tho...thomas? is that you? in my head?  
  
Thomas smiled, nodding encouragingly.  
  
come on clare. let's go back.  
  
Time seemed to stand still as the two looked at each other, both being pulled over the  
  
waterfall that would permanently take them away from the physical world. Finally, tears  
  
in her eyes, Clare nodded.  
  
i want to live!  
  
********************  
  
Thomas gave a little sigh before his entire body relaxed. Rayan and Giselle started,  
  
lifting their hands off as Thomas opened his eyes and straightened, his fingers still  
  
intertwined with Clare's.  
  
Giselle recovered first. "Thomas! Is Clare-"  
  
Thomas smiled wearily, then kissed the hand he held. The fingers he held suddenly   
  
moved, then wrapped around his own fingers. Clare slowly opened her eyes, then turned to  
  
look up at Thomas.  
  
"I...I'm back." 


	33. Part Thirtythree: Reconciliation

Chapter 43  
  
As soon as Clare was well enough, Lady Une promptly called a meeting with Duo, Hilde,  
  
Quatre, Dorothy, Thomas, and Clare to discuss what had happened. She had heard about the  
  
seeming supernatural incident regarding Thomas and Clare as he defied modern convention  
  
and pulled Clare out of a coma, even possibly reviving her after her heart had stopped  
  
beating, and wanted the details. She felt somewhat heartless for bringing up such a  
  
touchy subject, but as their leader, she felt it necessary.  
  
And so they came, all six participants sitting in a row across the table from her, with the  
  
Maxwells on one side and the Winners on the other, their children next to each other in  
  
between. Duo looked anxious, Hilde perplexed, Quatre resigned, and Dorothy serene as  
  
always. In the meantime, Thomas and Clare nervously stared at just about everything else  
  
besides each other, save for quick apprehensive glances. Lady Une noted the obvious  
  
tension in the room, and cleared her throat.  
  
"Alright everyone, let's try to make this as quick and painless as possible. As you all  
  
know, Clare recently attempted suicide (at this, Clare flushed and quickly put her arms  
  
under the table, trying to hide her scars), and Thomas seemed to have something to do with  
  
it (Thomas flinched and stared at the floor). Now, I don't want to sound like I'm prying  
  
into something that's none of my business, but as this incident involved two very critical  
  
people of Operation Firestorm, I'm going to have to ask you what happened. Clare, I'm  
  
going to start with you," Lady Une finished.  
  
Clare hunched over in her chair even more as she heard her name mentioned, but after a few  
  
uneasy moments, she finally lifted her head. "Well, um...Thomas and I, we, well, had a  
  
little...misunderstanding, and that made me, um..." and she shot a desperate glance at her  
  
parents.  
  
Seeing his daughter's discomfort, Quatre sighed. Patting her hand, he spoke up. "Perhaps  
  
I can help elaborate," he said, much to Clare's relief. At Lady Une's nod, Quatre said,  
  
"You all know that I am an empath, and that Rayan has inherited my abilities. What you may  
  
not know is that Dorothy has some empath-like skills as well." He paused to let that fact  
  
sink in, and then continued. "To certain people close to her, namely, people she feels  
  
very strongly for, she is able to feel, read, and influence their thoughts, depending on  
  
the intimacy she has with that person, and especially if that person is not aware of her  
  
abilities. This is Clare's ability," he finished, nodding towards his daughter.  
  
"However, for such a connection to be made, the relationship must be very strong," Dorothy  
  
spoke up suddenly. Glancing at her daughter, and then at Thomas, she continued, "Usually  
  
blood relations will strengthen the bond, but for such a strong relationship like the one  
  
you two have, it means that some other connection must have been established..." and she  
  
trailed off, casting meaningful looks at the two.  
  
At the mention of this, both Thomas and Clare paled visibly. "Mother-" Clare said  
  
anxiously, but Dorothy shook her head. Looking at her daughter firmly, she said, "You  
  
must be held accountable for your actions."  
  
Duo spoke up. "I have," he began, casting an unreadable look in his son's direction, "a  
  
distinct suspicion of what 'connection' you might be talking about, but I'd like to hear it  
  
directly," and he looked pointedly at his son. Thomas sighed, then said heavily, "The  
  
night that Rayan came back insane, Clare and I...well, I tried to make Clare feel better by  
  
making love to her," he finished wearily.  
  
Duo sighed, Hilde's jaw dropped, Quatre and Dorothy looked grim. Noting their reactions,  
  
Thomas raised his hands. "It's my fault. I know that and I'm sorry. Clare had nothing to  
  
do with-"  
  
"That's not true!" Clare said suddenly. Standing up, she cast pleading looks at the  
  
Maxwells. "Uncle Duo, Aunt Hilde, it's all MY fault. I seduced him because I couldn't  
  
handle the stress on my own and so I turned to the physical-"  
  
"Clare, it's okay. I should've been stronger, but I chose to give in. Really, I-"  
  
"No Thomas, it's MY fault. I totally took advantage of your-"  
  
"Enough!" Lady Une cut in. Both teenagers jumped at her voice and sheepishly sat down,  
  
once again trying to avoid looking at each other. But the argument continued:  
  
please clare, stop taking the blame. it's really not your fault.  
  
how is it not my fault? i knew you liked me, and i took advantage of that.  
  
look clare, i chose to do it. i could've said no, but i didn't. stop trying to blame  
  
yourself.  
  
stop trying to blame yourself! who was the one who stripped herself nake-  
  
alright, now that's far too much information. you two, please stop arguing and pay  
  
attention to lady une.  
  
oh, sorry daddy...  
  
um, sorry uncle quatre...  
  
And all three turned their attention back to Lady Une, Quatre blushing furiously at what  
  
he had just overheard in their "conversation." Dorothy, on the other hand, looked  
  
somewhat amused.  
  
i don't see what's so funny!  
  
oh, it's quite amusing darling. i love it when you go pink.  
  
perhaps we should be paying more attention to the conversation at hand?  
  
yes dear, but it was you who initiated this conversation here.  
  
...  
  
"So in any event, you two...engaged in a sexual relationship. Then what happened?" Lady  
  
Une asked somewhat stiffly.  
  
Clare cleared her throat. "Well...I guess you could say I myself wasn't very clear on what  
  
had happened, especially when I realized I could suddenly feel Thomas' thoughts. But when  
  
I figured out that I could influence his thoughts, I became a little...childish. I was  
  
the one who made him forget his meetings and instructions...It's all my fault, I know! I  
  
was frightened and stupid, and well..."  
  
Thomas picked up where Clare left off, staring ashamedly at her hands. "Well, I didn't  
  
handle that very well, after being humiliated and scolded by everyone, so when I also  
  
figured out who it was I was feeling in my head, I reacted...badly. I confronted her,  
  
called her terrible things...I'm so sorry, it was inappropriate, and if I had known it  
  
would affect her so strongly..." and he cast a pleading, apologetic look at the Winners.  
  
Lady Une sighed. "Well, I guess that explains most of it. I'm guessing that after Clare's  
  
suicide attempt, due to this 'connection' you two had established, you were somehow able to  
  
pull her out of it, is that correct?" At Thomas' hesitant nod, she continued, "Very well.  
  
I'm going to let this drop. You two may discuss your relationship on your own, and I'm  
  
certainly not going to interfere. However," and she narrowed her eyes, "Clare, you must  
  
realize that you are a very important person, and that your actions may have consequences  
  
you yourself may not foresee. For example, how do you think it would've looked if people  
  
found out that the Winner daughter gave birth out of wedlock? Or that she had killed   
  
herself over a spat she had with her lover? Thomas, the same goes for you. As a Gundam  
  
pilot, do you understand the uproar you would've caused had Clare died? A Gundam pilot  
  
involved in a scandal that resulted in the death of a member of one of society's highest  
  
profile families? You two, along with your parents if necessary, can establish the  
  
boundaries of your relationship without me in the picture. However, should your actions  
  
jeopardize this operation, you can count on me to take the necessary actions. This meeting  
  
is over," she finished, standing up.   
  
Thomas also started to stand, but a gentle hand from his mother stopped him. "Mom?" he  
  
questioned.  
  
Hilde smiled gently. "I think," she said, "you need to straighten some things out with  
  
Clare," giving him an encouraging smile. Duo tossed his hands in the air. "Don't say  
  
anything too stupid, alright? You're my son, I know that might be tough," he said wryly.  
  
Hilde chuckled a little, then patting her son on the head, she and Duo headed for the  
  
door. The same went with Quatre and Dorothy. "Talk to him," Quatre encouraged. Dorothy  
  
nodded, stroked Clare's hair, and the two left with Lady Une, shutting the door behind  
  
them.  
  
Silence.  
  
Thomas stared at the wall, Clare stared at her hands, eyes lingering on the scars on her  
  
wrists. Finally, Thomas cleared his throat.  
  
"So, ah..." he began nervously. Clare raised her eyes hesitantly, finally looking at him  
  
full in the face. "So...what are we now?" she asked softly.  
  
"Well, um, we can still talk to each other in our, um, heads, right? So that means we  
  
still have to kinda like each other right?" he asked quickly.  
  
Clare managed a small smile. "Yeah, I guess that means we still kinda...like each other."  
  
More silence.  
  
"Say, Thomas...what you said to me earlier, you know, in my head? Did you, you know, did  
  
you actually, well..." and she trailed off nervously.  
  
"Oh, you mean that part, you know, um, THAT part? Or uh, are you talking about, hmm, well,  
  
I guess there really would only be THAT one part right?" he babbled, stumbling all over  
  
his words.  
  
Clare smiled sadly. "...Never mind," she said softly, standing up to leave.  
  
"Wait Clare, I didn't mean that!" Thomas said quickly. Clare shook her head. "No, really,  
  
it's fine," and she turned to leave.  
  
Thomas grabbed her shoulders, surprising them both. "No Clare, please," he begged.   
  
Taking a deep breath, he looked at her straight in the eyes. "That time...when I said I  
  
loved you...I really meant it," he said softly. "I really did. I wasn't trying to just  
  
convince you of something, I meant what I said."  
  
"Really?" she asked hesistantly, staring at her feet.  
  
"Yeah...yeah. Really," he said nervously. Realizing he was still holding her shoulders,  
  
he let go quickly. Running a hand through his hair, he let out a nervous laugh. "I mean,  
  
okay sure fine, I'm what, sixteen years old? What do I know about love? I know less  
  
about...empaths. But hey, you know," and he smiled at her, "This empath thingy, you  
  
feeling my thoughts and I yours, I know at least that it can't happen unless we love each  
  
other. And that's good enough for me."  
  
Clare finally lifted her eyes off the ground. "Do you mean that?" she asked fearfully.  
  
Thomas grinned sheepishly. Scratching his head, he said, "Yeah! Hey, you love me too  
  
right?" he asked anxiously.  
  
Clare burst into tears. Thomas nearly fell over in despair. "Wait, no! I don't mean it  
  
like that-Oh stop that look! Stop it!" she finished, bursting out laughing. Sniffling  
  
and trying to wipe away her tears, she grabbed onto his arm. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to  
  
scare you. Of course I love you!" she finished, looking up at him. Seeing his look, she  
  
started giggling again.  
  
Thomas glared at her. "Oh so now I look funny huh? Is that so? Huh? HUH?" and he   
  
tackled her and started to tickle her. "So who's funny now huh?" he said playfully,  
  
mercilessly poking and prodding her.  
  
"Stop it! Thomas, stop!"  
  
"Apologize for laughing at me!"  
  
"Okay, fine! I'm sorry! Now get off me!" she said, giving him a shove.  
  
Thomas grinned and let her up, then pulled her close. "I'm glad we got a second chance  
  
Clare," he said gently, burrowing his face into her hair. Clare smiled and closed her  
  
eyes. "Yeah...me too. Me too." 


	34. Part Thirtyfour: Momentum

Chapter 44

            A little ways down the hall, Duo, Hilde, Quatre, and Dorothy lingered, waiting.  Quatre had his eyes closed, and the others were patiently waiting for him.  Finally, he opened his eyes and smiled.

            "They're done.  It'll be okay," he confirmed.  Duo gave a sigh of relief.

            "Good!  So I guess I DID do something right then!" he joked.  Hilde poked him.  "Duo!" she admonished.

            Quatre and Dorothy smiled.  "So I guess I can rest easy now," Quatre said lightly.  "So much for worrying about my daughter choosing some shady character for a husband."

            Hilde raised an eyebrow.  "Husband?" she asked.  "Not that there's anything wrong with it," she said quickly, "but they ARE still young.  Will this...connection really be that strong?"

            "It is," Dorothy said firmly.  "Once it is established, it can't be broken.  However, it takes a lot for this connection to even occur.  The very fact that it has been established says a lot about how they feel for each other."

            The four adults exchanged glances.  "Well, I guess that's that then," Duo announced.  "Looks like my son's as good as engaged.  Funny, two out of three of my kids are already set, and the only one left is Eva.  Unless, of course, there's something you guys know that I don't," he laughed.

            Hilde chuckled.  "Hopefully, she'll take awhile.  I don't want to lose my kids THAT quickly!"

            Quatre nodded, then looked at his watch.  "Well, if that's settled, we better get going.  We're going to be late for our meeting."

            Dorothy gave a little sigh.  "So many meetings...First one with Lady Une, and now Heero wants us to meet.  I wonder what he has in mind?" she finished, and she and Quatre started walking.

            At the mention of Heero's name, Duo scowled, then turned to head down the hall.  Hilde noticed the look on his face and frowned.  Running to catch up to him, she whispered, "Duo!  Now what's with that look?  Are you still mad at Heero?"

            "Mad?  Who's mad?  Of course I'm not mad," he snarled, his jaw set.  Hilde rolled her eyes.

            "Duo Maxwell!  This is too much!  Heero's your best friend, and you know he values you very much.  This issue with Eva and the new system, I agree that it's dangerous.  And he's already agreed not to ask for her help.  He's even tried apologizing to you!  Really!  It's been this long already, and you still won't even TALK to him?"

            "Let him put Riko in it, and THEN we'll talk!" Duo growled.  "How dare he ask to put out little girl in it?  Do you see him asking Riko-"

            "Duo, you and I both know that Eva's the only one who can pull it off.  And what about Riko?  She's out there!  She's piloting mobile suits!  Heero is putting her in danger every time she goes out, and he knows it.  But they both still do it.  Duo, you're being childish," she finished firmly.

            Duo sighed.  "I know, I know," he said wearily.  "I overreacted completely.  I threatened to kill two of my closest friends over it.  And now I'm just not man enough to go up to them and apologize."

            Hilde smiled.  Turning to face her husband, she stood on her toes and gave him a quick kiss.  "It's okay Duo, they'll understand," she said reassuringly.  Duo put his arms around her.  "Babe, have I ever thanked you for being so patient with me?" he murmured, burying his face in her hair.

            Hilde chuckled.  "Many times, I believe," she said wryly, then stepped away.   

Smiling up at him, she grabbed his hand.  "Now we're REALLY going to be late.  Come on you," she said, tugging him down the hall.

…………………

            "Aw come on, Giselle!  Can't I at least come and WATCH?"

            "Hey, this training is for Gundam PILOTS.  Now, who's the Gundam pilot here, you or me?"

            Will glared at his grinning sibling, then turned to Aelis, who was standing next to them looking amused.  "Come on Aelis, you'll help me out won't you?" he pleaded.

            Aelis chuckled.  "Sorry Will, you're on your own for this one.  I really don't want to have to explain to whoever's in charge today why you're standing there making faces at all of us."

            "Making faces?  Who, me?  What makes you think I'D-Hey!  Hey!" he shouted, as the two girls walked away from him.  "Later 'Brother'!" Giselle called mockingly over her shoulder.  Aelis threw him an apologetic look.  "Maybe next time," she said as she walked off.

            Will groaned.  "Ouch, that was harsh," he muttered.  "Won't even let me go WATCH!"

            "I'm sure they're just teasing you," an amused voice said.  Will jumped in alarm.  "Riko!  Don't scare me like that!" he exclaimed when he saw who it is.

            Riko smiled.  "Sorry Will," she said.  "I'm not a Gundam pilot either, but I don't see anything wrong with watching.  Want to come with?" she offered.

            Will grinned.  "So then, are you asking me on a date?" he teased.

            Riko flushed.  "It's not like that!" she sputtered.  "I'm just trying to be nice, but if you're going to be difficult about it..." and she tossed her head, causing the scarf in her hair to fall out.  "Oh, oops," she muttered, stooping to pick it up.

            However, Will got there first.  "Hey hey, I gave this to you to keep your hair out of your face.  Can't do that if you can't even TIE it right," he joked. 

            Riko glared at him.  "Of COURSE I know how to tie it!  Now give it back!" she said, making a grab for it.  Will just laughed and pulled it away from her.  "Easy now," he said soothingly.  Gesturing for her to turn around, he said, "Look, I'll just put it back on for you okay?  Then if it falls out again, you can yell at me instead, alright?"

            Riko made another disgruntled noise, but obligingly turned around and let Will pull her hair back.  "Say, Will," she spoke up as he fiddled with her hair.  "Where did you get this scarf?  I have to say, you have good taste," she joked.

            Will chuckled.  "Well, I'm glad you like it," he said quietly, finishing up.  As Riko turned around, he looked at her seriously.  "Actually, this scarf is pretty old.  It was my mother's.  I've kept it with me since she died."

            Riko started.  "Oh...I'm sorry," she said, flustered, and then said, "But wait!  It must be very important to you; I should give it back then," and she started to reach back to untie it, but Will caught her hand and shook his head.

            "Actually...if you don't mind, I'd like you to keep it," he said hesitantly, his eyes downcast.  "In fact, I'd really appreciate it if you kept it," he finished uncertainly.

            "Will..." Riko said softly, realization dawning.  The two looked at each other for a long time, and then Riko finally nodded.  "Okay," she said softly, pulling her hand back from her hair but not letting go of Will's hand.  "I'll keep it," she said, as they turned together to walk after their friends.  

…………………

            "Well?" Giselle demanded anxiously.

            "Shh!" Aelis hissed, still peering around the corner.  "Wait...wait, yes!  Yes!" she cheered quietly.

            "Yes what?!"

            Aelis gleefully turned back towards Giselle and grabbed her hand.  "Hurry, they're coming!" she said, dragging her along.

            "Aelis!  I'm not taking a single step until you tell me what you saw!"

            "He's done it!  He's made his move!  And now they're holding hands and coming this way!"

            "WHAT?!" Giselle shouted, coming to a halt.  Aelis rolled her eyes and grabbed Giselle's hand again.  "Exactly!  Now hurry up before they catch up, and PLEASE try to keep your voice down?  Do you WANT them to know that we were spying?"

            "Will...I don't believe this.  WILL," Giselle muttered, shaking her head but allowing herself to be led.  "Heero-jiisan is going to kill something when he finds out.  I mean, Riko's his only daughter.  He's going to-Ouch!" she finished abruptly, slamming into Aelis.  Rubbing her head, she said, "Hey, what's the big ide-Oh..." she said meekly when she saw why Aelis had stopped.

            Yuri stood silently before Aelis, who stoically refused to look at him.  "Aelis...we need to talk," he said.

            "Yuri, there is nothing we need to talk about," Aelis said coldly.  "You hate my family, and that's that."

            "Aelis, I don't hate your family!  I'm part of it, in a rather convoluted sense, aren't I?"

            "Oh yes, you're part of it all right.  And you used that to help further your petty little revenge.  Joined a revolution, killed who knows how many people, even seduced ME in the-"

            "I did not seduce you!  Aelis, I LOVE-"

            "Oh I'm sure you do!  You love the fact that you were able to use me to carry out your grand master plan, which was what?  An audience with my aunt!  That's it!  This whole thing, everything, all so you could speak to Aunt Relena and flay her alive with your words!  What has she ever done to you?"

            "Aelis, I'm SORRY.  Okay?  Maybe I was rather delusional, but well, it meant a lot to me.  And now that I've done it and seen the results, I'll admit that I was stupid.  I admit that my own relatives weren't exactly perfect people.  It was the only reason I had to live, but now I can see quite clearly that it was a rather stupid, idiotic, dumb, reason to live.  I admit all that Aelis!  Please, just forgive me!" Yuri finished desperately.  "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I don't want to lose you."

            "Yuri...I have practice right now," Aelis whispered.  Fighting back tears, she quickly moved away and started walking again.  Giselle looked after her desperately, then looked back at Yuri.  "Um...give her some time, Yuri," she pleaded.  "I'm sure she knows that deep down inside, she's just overreacting."

            Yuri stared after Aelis' retreating figure.  "...Yeah," he murmured, then started following her.  Giselle groaned.  "So much for this being a Gundam pilots only thing," she muttered.  "Hope whoever's in charge doesn't mind entertaining a peanut gallery."

…………………

            Wuten and Wuli were busy playing basketball on the roof, with Geoffry refereeing.  "Foul!" he shouted, standing up.  Wuli groaned.  "Oh come on Geoffry, give me a break!  That was not a foul!"

            Wuten grinned.  "Suck it up, Little Brother," he laughed, easily making two more points.  Geoffry laughed as well.  "Deal with it, you're not ref this time around.  What I say goes."

            Wuli muttered something under his breath but resumed playing.  Geoffry smiled and sat back down, wincing a little.  "Sucks to be injured," he grumbled to himself.  "Not that I'd actually let that stop me or anything, but it still stinks.  Hmm?" he murmured, catching something moving in the corner of his eye.  Turning to see better, he smiled when he saw Eva standing hesitantly by the stairs.  "Eva!" he called, waving her over.

            Eva flushed slightly but managed a smile, walking over to where Geoffry was

sitting.  "Hey Eva, what's up?" he asked, patting her on the head.

            Eva blushed again, but Geoffry didn't notice.  "Oh, nothing too much," she managed.  "I'm just bored, that's all."

            Geoffry chuckled.  "Lucky you, you get to be bored.  I feel sorry for you though."

            "Feel sorry for me?" Eva asked quizzically, tilting her head.

            "Yeah...You're taking this all so well though.  I mean, if you think about it, you're one of the few people stuck here that doesn't have anything to do with this whole fighting thing.  Well, I guess Reena and Clare don't have much of a role either, but you're definitely the innocent bystander that got yanked into this whole mess," he said sympathetically.

            "Oh, well, it's not too bad I guess.  I mean, I miss my friends at school and everything, but I'm sure this will all blow over quickly, right?  And besides, I'm not too much of an innocent bystan-oops!" she said meekly, accidentally slipping.

            Geoffry raised an eyebrow.  "Hmm?  What do you mean?  Don't tell me...you must be our secret weapon!" he crowed, punching her lightly on the arm.

            "Well, I really was!  Kind of, anyway..." Eva said defensively, glaring at her feet.  Seeing her discomfort, Geoffry immediately subsided.  "Hey hey...I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to offend you," he said anxiously.  "Come on now...don't give me that face," he said when Eva continued to sulk.  Geoffry sighed.  "You know, that look of yours is killer.   It'll make any guy melt, I can guarantee it," he said, looking at her fondly.

            Eva blushed even redder.  Still staring at her feet, she muttered, "Well, it doesn't matter anyway.  Like, Heero-jiisan's new system...only I could work it, but Daddy said it was too dangerous.  So it makes no difference anyway," she said sullenly.

            Geoffry blinked.  "Heero-jiisan made a new system?" he asked, then smacked himself on the head.  "Oh, right!  I remember someone mentioning it to me, but that was a long time ago.  What happened?"

            "Um, I happened I guess.  Or at least, Daddy happened.  No one can use it, so I guess Heero-jiisan's been working on developing a safer version.  If that's possible, anyway."

            "I see...how did you find out about this anyway?"

            "Well...I hacked into the system?" Eva said meekly.

            Geoffry groaned.  "I should've known," he sighed, patting her on the head again.

"You know, Eva, you really are something.  Killer adorable puppy dog looks combined with some serious brainpower.  Not to mention the fact that you're an absolute knockout," he teased, winking at her.

            Eva turned about as red as a tomato.

…………………

            "Foul!" Wuli shouted, gasping for breath and stopping.  Wuten also stopped, trying to catch his breath.  "That was not a foul," he argued.

            "Ask Geoffry," Wuli challenged, turning.  "Hey Geoffr-er, never mind," he sighed, catching sight of the two.  Wuten glanced over as well.  "Oh, it's Eva," he said mildly.  "Didn't see her come up.  What is she doing here?"

            "Oh, probably giving him food," Wuli said, catching sight of a bundle by the doorway.  "I know she loves to cook."

            "Hrmph, why doesn't she bring us food?" Wuten huffed jokingly.

            "Probably because she doesn't have a crush on you," a voice said.

            The twins turned around.  "Hey Thomas," Wuli said.  "Clare, how are you feeling?"

            Clare smiled.  "I'm fine, thanks," she said.  "Playing basketball?"

            Wuli grinned.  "Yeah, or at least we were until your sister charmed away our referee," he said to Thomas.  "And what's this about her having a crush on him?"

            Thomas shrugged.  "I'm not sure either.  But Geoffry and I are best friends, and every time he'd come visit, Eva would always get all flustered and then cook up a storm.  She doesn't even feed ME that well, and I'm her brother!" he grumbled.

            The others laughed.  "Well, they ARE cute together," Clare said teasingly, then laughed when she saw the look on Thomas' face.  "Oh stop that!  What's wrong with Eva and Geoffry?"

            "What's WRONG?  Plenty!  Everything!  Oh, you wouldn't understand," he muttered as the other three burst out laughing.  Folding his arms sullenly, he said, "And besides, she's still young.  She's only twelve!  Please!  Maybe when she's twenty-Ouch!" he said when Clare smacked him on the arm.  Rubbing his arm, he muttered, "Fine, no one take my side..."

            Wuten grinned.  "Lighten up," he said, then glanced at his watch and groaned.

"And great, now we're all late for our training...but I don't really want to disturb them," he said uncertainly, glancing over at Eva and Geoffry.  "If what you say is true, Eva seems to be having a good time..."

            Thomas shrugged.  "Well, if you guys want, you can go ahead.  Clare and I wanted to come up here for some fresh air.  We have a lot to catch up on," he said, looking at Clare fondly.  Clare smiled up at him and enfolded herself in his arms.

            The twins sighed.  "Well, if both you and Geoffry are going to be late, I don't see why we can't be a little late...right Wuten?" Wuli said hopefully.  Wuten sighed.  "Oh fine...why not.  We're late anyway.  And we still need to finish our game!" he grinned, throwing the ball at his brother.

            Wuli grinned as he caught the ball.  "Hey Wuten, I think you're actually starting to relax a bit."

            "Shut up," Wuten growled, as they headed back to the court.

            Thomas and Clare chuckled at their retreating figures.  "Wish every day could be as nice as this day," Thomas murmured, holding Clare.

            "Yeah..." she sighed, looking up at him.  Thomas smiled at her, then bent down for a kiss.  Their kisses were gradually becoming more passionate when they heard someone clearing their throat.

            "Excuse me," Jerry said stiffly as Reena tried not to laugh.  The two startled teens glanced at him and then hurridly stepped away from each other.  "Um, hey Jerry.  Hi Reena.  Didn't, ah, notice you two."

            "THAT'S not a surprise," Jerry said dryly as Reena burst out laughing.  "Hey, you're not helping my case here," he complained.

            Reena tried to suppress her laughter.  "Sorry honey, but you know that you really can't talk," she snickered, then started laughing again when she saw the frustrated look on Jerry's face.

            Jerry groaned, then turned back to his brother.  "Anyway, I came to check up on you.  Wanted to make sure that you didn't forget about training today."

            "Yeah yeah, I know, I know.  I'm going to be late though," Thomas replied, pulling Clare close.  "We need to talk," he said firmly.

            Jerry nodded.  "Yeah, I understand.  Just wanted to make sure that you'd show up SOME time."

            "Don't worry, I will...And speaking of which, why aren't YOU there?"

            Jerry turned red.  "Okay...so maybe I forgot too.  You have a problem with it?" he demanded when Thomas started snickering.  "At least I came to find you to make sure both Maxwells would be present and accounted for!"

            Thomas laughed evilly.  "So...you 'forgot' huh?" he smirked.  "Were YOU too busy doing something...else?"

            "Shut up, you brat!" Jerry snarled, lunging and putting Thomas in a headlock, much to the amusement of the others.

            They were still laughing when the first explosions hit.

…………………

            "Where ARE they?" Rayan muttered, glancing around.  Giselle shrugged.  "It really is a sad day when half the people that came on time aren't even the ones who are supposed to be here," she murmured.  Will and Riko were sitting unobtrusively off to the side, staring dreamily into each others' eyes; Yuri and Aelis were stubbornly ignoring each other, or at least, Aelis was stubbornly refusing to speak to Yuri, and Yuri was just as stubbornly refusing to back down.  But other than that, Jerry, Thomas, Wuten, Wuli, and Geoffry were nowhere to be seen.

            Rayan frowned, and Giselle looked up, concerned.  "What is it?" she asked.   Rayan hesitated.  "I don't know.  I just feel...uneasy.  And besides, if all the others are late, where's the one in charge?  We weren't even told who was going to be leading the training today."

            Giselle blinked.  "But...it's always been Lady Une, or Heero-jiisan, or any of our parents really...why do you think it'd be different now?"

            "Giselle, all our parents are in a meeting right now.  My parents told me that a little earlier today."

            "Then maybe it's another Preventer?"

            "But that makes no sense.  To be blunt, besides our parents, we're probably the best pilots that are-"

            Rayan was abruptly interrupted by a scream from Riko.  Whirling around, they stared in shock and disbelief.  Riko's eyes were wide with terror, and both hands were covering her mouth.  Will had jumped in front of her, staring furiously at the source of her fear.  "Im...impossible!" he whispered.

            Trembling, Riko raised a hand and pointed.  "Enemy mobile suits!" she cried.


	35. Part Thirtyfive: Fallen

Chapter 44

Heero and Relena walked into the room, acknowledging the others who were already there. He noted the presence of Mariemaia, Jake, and Jaasalin with some confusion, but shrugged it off. As he shut the door behind him, Heero shot a glance at Duo, hoping to make eye contact, but Duo still kept his eyes reluctantly on the ground. Heero gave a little sigh, then made his way over to sit next to Relena, who looked at him sympathetically. Heero gave her a tight smile, then turned to Lady Une with mild puzzlement. "It seems like everyone else arrived earlier than we did today; I apologize if we made everyone wait."

Lady Une shook her head. "It's fine Heero. It's only been," and she checked her watch, "five minutes." Heero frowned. "Excuse me?" he asked.

Wufei glanced at him. "You sent us a memo asking that we be here at 1500 hours. It's 1505 now-"

Heero jumped up. Staring hard at Wufei, he demanded, "Wait a minute, Lady Une sent me a memo asking that I be here 1515 hours!"

Shocked stares were exchanged, then almost simultaneously, everyone jumped to their feet. Duo reached the door first. "Dammit! It's locked!" he shouted, banging on the door.

Lady Une yanked out her phone. "Reception's shot," she said through clenched teeth. "Someone's interfering with our-"

Before she could finish, explosions hit the compound and everyone was thrown to the floor.

…………………

Reena and Clare screamed as the roof rocked beneath them, while Jerry and Thomas reached for them protectively, fighting to keep their own balance. At the basketball court, Wuten and Wuli instinctively grabbed onto the nearest objects as Geoffry quickly grabbed Eva, who let out of a yell of fright. Jerry recovered first. "What the hell-?!" he growled, holding Reena protectively with one arm while hanging onto a railing and glancing around furiously.

Wuten winced as he picked himself off the ground. "An enemy attack…but how?!" he shouted over the noise, bracing himself again as another explosion hit.

"Doesn't matter!" Thomas yelled back, hanging onto Clare while fighting his way over to the twins. "We need to get out of here! Where are our parents?! Hell, where are all the Preventers even?! Shouldn't someone be on the lookout for something like this?"

Wuli's face was grim as he extended a hand to help Geoffry, who was struggling with Eva clinging to him. "They're at a meeting; probably rigged too now that I think about it. We need to get to lower ground before this place collapses!" he finished, racing towards the door, the others following.

…………………

Yuri, Aelis, Will, Riko, Rayan, and Giselle stared with shock and horror at the mobile suits that had appeared in front of them. Will glanced tensely over at Yuri, and saw the grim look on his face. "Yuri, those suits…"

"Yeah, I know," Yuri said tightly. Aelis started at the sound of his voice. "Yuri, what are you talking about?" she whispered.

Yuri didn't turn to look at her, but continued staring with anger and resignation at the suits. "Those are the Commander's most advanced units. They're dolls programmed with the data of all the best pilots, including yours and Geoffry's. The design is based on powerful, mysterious suits developed from the last war, and its stealth systems are unrivalled. In short…we don't stand a chance."

Giselle gasped at that. "But then…our parents…this practice…" she stuttered, eyes widening in realization.

"It was a setup!" Rayan exploded. "The meeting, this practice, everything! They set us up!"

Will nodded, putting an arm around Riko, who was shaking badly. As soldiers rushed towards them, he said darkly, "The only thing we can do now is pray that the others that were supposed to be here are faring better."

…………………

Reiming groaned, feeling the bump that was developing on her head as she struggled to stand back up. Trowa knelt before her, hand extended, and she gratefully accepted his help. Jaasalin was whimpering in terror, and Mariemaia was holding her protectively while glancing around angrily.

Heero was standing by the door. Stoically, he pulled out his gun and fired. The doorknob fell off and the door swung open, only to reveal the outer metal door. He stared at it for a moment, then he shoulders sagged a little. "The outer door's been locked. They must have hacked into our system and locked it remotely," he said flatly, turning around but not putting his gun away.

"How could this have happened?" Hilde demanded, standing up. She glanced at Duo, then turned her attention back to Heero. "The security system…Everything here has been developed by you personally. It's not even government-produced Preventer software, which is already top of the line."

"You Gundam pilots are only human, after all. Mere flesh and blood is no match for the likes of me," a voice grated. Everyone turned to the source of the voice: a screen usually used for presentations. The cyborg's image appeared, and it smiled cruelly. "Lillith and Veylona…so nice to see you again," it rasped.

Reiming and Meilai froze. "How did you…" Meilai whispered, staring. (1)

…………………

Eva screamed as another explosion rocked the building. Geoffry grabbed her hand. "It's okay Eva, just keep running!" he shouted. Eva sniffed, trying to fight back tears. Geoffry nodded at her in what he hoped was an encouraging matter, then turned to the others, who were running ahead of them. "Where are our parents? Weren't they meeting somewhere downstairs?"

"No point in going there," Jerry shouted back. Reena stared at him in horror. "No point…?" she whispered in terror.

Thomas nodded in agreement. "Whoever set this up…our parents must've been caught as well. If we go there, we'll just be walking into a trap!"

"But shouldn't we do something to help them?!" Clare demanded, then gasped as a few soldiers appeared. "Over here!" one of them yelled, running towards them.

Wuten and Wuli looked at each other, then nodded. Letting out simultaneous yells, they launched themselves at the soldiers, catching them by surprise and knocking them out. Quickly, they stripped them whatever weapons they had, tossing guns over to the Maxwell brothers. "They're right," Wuli said. Fighting to keep the frustration and tears at bay, he said, "The most important thing for us right now is to get away. Hopefully our parents will be able to make it out alive as well-"

He was abruptly cut off as an explosion hit, which was closely followed by a scream from Eva as she lost her balance and tumbled down a flight of stairs. "EVA!" everyone shouted. Geoffry lunged to catch her, but there was another explosion, this one bigger than the others. Concrete and dust rained down, and the remaining seven tried to take cover. When the dust finally cleared, there was a hole in the hallway leading to the outside. Standing outside was a mobile doll, with its gun aimed right at them. They stared in horror as the doll's sensor began to blink, a sure sign it was about to fire. "This…is it," Wuten whispered, frozen.

…………………

Riko let out a yell as a soldier grabbed her roughly, pinning her arms behind her back. Will saw and lunged. "Don't you touch her!" he snarled, then doubled over as he was kicked in the stomach. "Damn…" he swore, falling to his knees.

"Well well, look who it is," a voice said coldly. Will looked up. "Why, good day, 'your Excellency,'" he sneered, promptly being awarded with a kick to the head. Will spit out blood, but continued to glare at Nicolae, who was looking down at him smugly.

Nicolae snorted as he glanced around at the captive Gundam pilots and the others. "Let's see, there's two," he counted, looking at Rayan and Giselle, who glared at him angrily, "and then there's another…but you're useless," he said, acknowledging Aelis. "Then there's Yuy's daughter, but your skills are second-rate compared to your friends; there's YOU," he nudged Will with his foot, "And then there's…" and he trailed off.

Yuri's face was stony as Nicolae walked up to him. "Baron Wayridge," Nicolae said softly, a deadly look in his eyes. "You know, I expected more from you. That," and he jerked his head in Will's direction, "That came as no surprise, nor was it a loss. But you, on the other hand…" Glancing over at Aelis, who was looking at him with a mixture of fear and hatred, he chuckled. He turned back to Yuri. "So that's all it took, is it? A woman? A woman was enough to betray your true loyalties. Really, I should've thought of that sooner. It would've saved me the trouble."

Yuri smiled. "It seems as if my betrayal has caused you some trouble, Nicolae," he retorted, purposely leaving out his title.

The humor from Nicolae's face disappeared. "I would be more careful, if I were you," he said frostily. "You are," and he gave a meaningful look to Aelis, who avoided his gaze, "in no position to bargain with me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Yuri snapped. Nicolae just smiled. "I wouldn't say that so quickly, if I were you…"

…………………

"You are…" Reiming whispered, staring at the cyborg. It made a semblance of a smile. "Why, Lillith…has it really been so long? You knew me quite…well," it smirked.

Next to her, Meilai had begun to shake, but it was in anger and not fear. "TJ," she hissed, glaring at the screen murderously. Reiming started, then immediately stared at the cyborg again to get a closer look. Suddenly, she went white with rage. "Why you…" she snarled, fists clenching. "How did you survive?!" she demanded.

Meanwhile, the others were watching the exchange tensely. Noin turned to Lady Une. "Who…?" she said questioningly.

"A demon of the past that should've died long ago," Trowa answered for her, his eyes flinty. "Now that he's shown his face, he must be the one responsible for the creation of the new dolls…right Wufei?" he finished, turning to Wufei.

Wufei nodded, teeth clenched. "That…thing," he finally made out. "That thing is responsible for causing much grief to them both in the past," he spat. "He was to have been disposed of a long time ago, but apparently we have all been mistaken."

In the meantime, Reiming and Meilai continued to have their staring contest with TJ. "Yes, how did I survive…I was quite lucky, really," he said. Narrowing his eyes at them, he said, "You two schemed to eliminate me, but unfortunately for you, you chose to get rid of the wrong person first-"

"Yes, Phillipe," Meilai spat out the name as if it tasted bad. "Skip the history lesson and get to the point!"

TJ laughed. "So impatient," he chided. "But like I said, you chose to detonate his mobile suit first before activating the self destruct device in mine. The time in between was just enough for me to eject. It obviously wasn't enough to preserve most of my limbs, but it was enough to preserve my life." He laughed again. "Really…I would've thought you would've known that thick-headed Phillipe probably would've been too dense to react as quickly as I did. Such a small mistake, and now, such a great price to pay."

Meilai narrowed her eyes. "And just what do you plan to do now?" she whispered. "You may have survived, but you're just a shadow of what you once were. What are you trying to do? Revenge?"

"Oh, revenge is just a small part of it. No, I'm out to destroy what you people have tried so hard to make: A stunted humanity with no hopes of survival."

Relena let out a cry of outrage. "Stunted?!" she demanded. Clenching her fists, she shouted, "You have no idea what you're talking about! How can you possibly argue that peace will doom mankind, when it is war that consumes lives?"

"Consumes lives, yes, but drives mankind forward!" TJ shot back. Gesturing to himself, he said, "Look at me. I can function far beyond the power of a normal human brain. With a few more modifications, I could be immortal. Look at my dolls. They have technology that rivals your Gundams, but unlike your Gundams, they can be easily mass produced. It is in the human nature to thrive on competition, on greed. Why are there wars? Humans constantly try to control other humans, because that is what gives them power. That is something you will never be able to change. True, this generation may have decided that the price of war is too high, but already people are starting to question. The most brilliant minds have begun to resent the lack of progress, because there is no motivation. Without the motivation of greed, of a lust for power, mankind cannot possibly progress! Those same brilliant minds rescued me, recreated me, and it is with those brilliant minds that I will drive mankind forward into a new direction that I shall control."

"And to what ends will you drive humanity forward like this?" Zechs demanded coldly. "Are you saying that you have simply fallen in love with the idea of progress?"

The cyborg laughed. "Oh no, the progress is only secondary." Smiling to himself, he chuckled and said softly, "It's the power I want, the power to control mankind to the way I want it to be. There's just something…addicting about it."

"Monster," Noin spat, glaring at him angrily. TJ turned to look at her. "Ah yes, Lucrezia Noin. You've always been a little self righteous, always insisting on stopping those who try to exceed in ways you deem 'dirty.' Just like what you did to," and here he paused, "Charles Nicolae."

Noin gasped. "How did you…" she began, then trailed off. Glaring at TJ in disgust, she snarled, "Let me guess: You found him, lured him in with your promises of power and glory as well as revenge, and now he's working for you."

"Very good. But enough of that. All the players are here, including that brat over there," he said offhandedly, referring to Jaasalin. The child cowered, and Jake and Mariemaia glared murderously at the cyborg. He continued, "Quite a successful experiment she was too, but now I'm afraid she's been rendered obsolete. So, like the rest of you, she's going to have to go."

"If you kill us, you know that our children will stop you," Quatre spoke up quietly, eyes filled with determination. "They may be young, but unlike you, they believe in a future where progress shall be attained a different way. I can assure you, they, along with the rest of the Preventer force-"

"Do you really think so? I can already tell you that whatever Preventer staff you had here has already been neatly locked up, thanks to my overriding of your system. As for your children, allow me to enlighten you," TJ countered. Immediately, the screen switched to the scene outside. "Look closely," TJ's voice narrated as the camera zoomed in on a figure. Relena fell to her knees, while Heero stared in horror. "Riko?" he whispered, eyes wide with shock.

Next the camera zoomed in on Will, who had his hands tied and was still on the ground. Trowa's fists clenched, and Reiming looked grim. The same thing was repeated for Yuri, Aelis, Rayan, and Giselle, and each time one of them appeared on the screen, their respective parents all had similar reactions. Finally, the cyborg's face came back on. "Still so confident, Mr. Winner?" he mocked.

Quatre was shaking, but he still fought to maintain his composure. "There are," he hissed, struggling to control his voice after seeing the image of his captured son. "There are still others!" he finally spat, glowering at TJ.

"Are you talking about the ones who missed practice and were playing basketball on the roof?" TJ asked almost casually. An image of the ruined basketball court came up, with nothing left intact except for the forgotten ball. It was followed by an image of the bombed out hallway. A bright cloth lay near a huge pile of rubble.

Meilai felt her knees buckle. "Wuten's…bandanna," she gasped, hands at her mouth.

"Yes, it's a pity you didn't teach them not to miss class," TJ sneered. "If they had been good little boys and girls, they would've been captured instead of…dead. But don't worry, you'll be seeing them soon. Because this is goodbye," and the screen switched off as gas began filling the room.

…………………

"So they've been taken care of? And the others? What?! Well never mind that. I suppose I will have to make do with what I have. Pity I couldn't have been there to see it though…Yes, yes, I know!" Nicolae snapped into his communicator, shutting it off irritably. Returning to where Yuri, Aelis, Will, Riko, Rayan, and Giselle were bound and surrounded by soldiers, he smirked and said, "I have news for you. Your friends and your parents are dead."

Giselle let out a shocked cry. "You're lying, you monster!" she cried shrilly, not willing to believe what she had just heard. Nicolae just laughed. "I must admit, I had wished to capture more of you alive, but apparently that was not possible. Your friends were dispatched by my dolls," and he waved to the bombed out building behind them, "And your parents have been gassed. A most painful death, I assure you," he finished with a laugh.

Giselle burst into tears. Aelis and Riko could only stare in numb silence. Rayan looked both heartbroken and murderous, and Yuri and Will were outraged. Ignoring their reactions, Nicolae turned to his soldiers. "Raid the compound for any useful technology they may have had. Be sure to be extra careful with the Gundams. Have the appropriate arrangements been made for their transport?"

"Yes sir!" they responded, saluting smartly. Nicolae nodded in approval. "Good, then go see to it. When you are finished, instruct them to blow up whatever remains of that place, including the Preventers still locked inside."

"Haven't you had enough?!" Rayan roared, throwing himself at Nicolae. Despite having his hands cuffed behind his back, he still managed to knock him to the ground before being pulled off by soldiers. "Bastard! How many more must you kill before you're satisfied?!" he demanded, struggling against his captors.

"I will do as I see fit!" Nicolae snarled, picking himself off the ground. "And as for you, I can assure you that-"

Nicolae's speech was cut off by an explosion in the horizon. When he finally recovered, he whirled around and snapped, "What was…" he trailed off, staring in shock.

What was left of the Preventer compound was gone, including the dolls and soldiers in and around it. "How could…how could this be?" he whispered, then abruptly recovered. Angrily yanking out his communicator, he spat into it, "What the hell happened?! What idiot set off the explosives before…" Suddenly, his face went white. "They did what?! How?! You had assured me that there was no way that anyone could have accessed the network…Well never mind! I want to know what happened, and I want to know now! Have our soldiers…" and he ground his teeth in anger and frustration. Regaining his composure, he continued, "Fine! Have what's LEFT of our soldiers immediately launch an investigation! Find out how they detonated those Gundams!" and he slammed his communicator to the ground, eyes smoldering.

"Things not going so well?" Will asked smugly, laughing in Nicolae's face. Riko turned to him hopefully. "Do you think this means our parents are still alive?" she asked.

"Don't count on it, Miss Yuy," Nicolae said coldly. "I promise you, your parents are dead. However, it looks like we might've missed one of your little Preventers, and they detonated your Gundams in a final, desperate, kamikaze attempt. Or at least, you'd better hope it was kamikaze, because if anyone's still alive in there," and he paused for the dramatic effect, "I will personally see to it that they experience the slowest, most excruciating death imaginable."

Despite herself, Riko looked away, eyes glittering. "Tousan…Kaasan," she whispered, tears finally slowly falling. Will saw, and inched his way over. "I'm sorry Riko," he murmured. Riko looked up at him with a tearstained face, and leaned against him as her shoulders began to shake and she began to sob.

In the meantime, Giselle kept crying, and despite Rayan's valiant attempts to console her, he himself finally let a few sad, angry tears fall. "Mom, Dad, Clare…" he whispered to himself, shoulders slumping. "I'm so sorry…I should've felt something! I knew something was wrong, and yet, I still failed you! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Yuri looked uneasily at Aelis, who was still oddly silent. "Aelis…" he began awkwardly.

"You must be glad."

Yuri felt as if he had been slapped. "Wha…What?" he whispered in disbelief.

Aelis whirled to face him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and her eyes were crazed with grief. "I said, 'You must be glad!'" she screamed at him. "Mom and Dad, Geoffry, Heero-jiisan, Relena-kasan, you must be glad they're dead! Right? It's all perfect now, your revenge scheme-"

"Aelis, stop it!" Riko cried. "Just… stop! What has gotten into you?!"

"Why are you defending him? Just you see, I'll bet he's wishing you were dead too! I'll bet he's wishing we were all dead!" Aelis shot back. Riko shook her head vigorously. "No Aelis…No! Stop trying to blame him! If there's anyone to blame, it's HIM," and she jerked her head towards Nicolae, who was observing the scene with a contemplative look on his face. "Interesting," he murmured, but then he heard his communicator ring from where he had thrown it. "What?" he demanded, picking it up. His eyes widened. "I see…Have them come back immediately!" and he put it back into his pocket.

"Well, it looks like I was right," he said smugly. Rayan narrowed his eyes. "Right about what?" he asked suspiciously. Nicolae's smile only grew wider. "Oh you'll see…Ah, here they are," he finished, gesturing to a vehicle speeding towards them. It came to a halt, and two figures got out, one big and one small. The large figure, a soldier, had a firm grip on the smaller figure, which was struggling. Finally, the soldier lost his patience and delivered a sound slap to his prisoner. The prisoner let out a small scream.

Riko's jaw dropped. So did Rayan's and Giselle's, and even Aelis calmed down enough to stare. Will looked surprised, but Yuri was still too stunned by Aelis' outburst to react.

Riko recovered first. "Eva?" she whispered, straining to get a closer look.

Eva looked towards them. "RIKO!" she cried desperately, running towards her. "Ouch!" she yelped as the soldier grabbed her pigtails and yanked her back. "Let me go!" she cried, but then immediately quieted when she saw Nicolae looking down at her with a murderous look on his face. She tried shrinking away from him, but he grabbed her roughly and threw her onto the ground. "You, brat! How did you do it?! How did you manage to remotely control the Gundams?! Answer me!" he snarled, kicking her hard in the stomach.

Eva let out a cry of pain. "I said, answer me!" he shouted, readying himself for another kick.

"Stop it! She's just a child!" Riko cried out. "Leave her alone!"

"Girl, this 'child' has just cost me some of my most valuable men and equipment, and I WILL make my displeasure known!" Nicolae growled, kicking Eva again. Eva whimpered and curled up in a fetal person in an effort to escape his blows. Nicolae lost his patience and pulled out his gun. Aiming it at her, he said in a dangerous voice, "I am going to count to three, and if you do not tell me, I will shoot you in one leg. Fail to answer me again, and I will shoot your other leg. Next will be your arms, your sides, and your stomach. If you still do not answer, I will kill you, but I will make it slow, because by then, you will be desperately begging for your death, and I will not allow you that courtesy."

Eva could only stare, struck dumb with terror.

Nicolae switched off the safety. "One," he hissed, finger moving towards the trigger. "Two. Thr-"

"I'll tell you how she did it!" Riko shouted. "Look at her…you've terrified her so much she can't even speak! I know how she did it, just let her go. Please…" she begged.

"And how would you know?" he asked coldly, not looking at her but not shooting Eva either.

Riko slumped over. "Papa…" and she choked up. Regaining her composure, she said in a resigned voice, "He had been working on some advanced new system that would allow an individual to remotely control whatever was hooked up to the system. It was to be an advanced version of what had been used by the White Fang."

Nicolae snorted. Narrowing his eyes, he once again placed his finger on the trigger. "Yes yes, I already knew that. But a system of that caliber would be impossible for a human to manage. The only person rumored to have been able to handle it was…" and he trailed off. Putting the gun down, he reached down and yanked Eva to her feet. Realization dawned in his eyes, and as he smirked he finished his thought, "It was Maxwell's youngest child, am I right…Miss Maxwell?"

Eva finally summoned the courage to look at Nicolae in the face. "It wasn't easy, you know," she said sullenly. Continuing, she cried shrilly, "If I had had my way, I wouldn't have just detonated the Gundams, but I would've made them blow you away! But that's okay, 'cause Mommy and Daddy and Jerry and Thomas will-"

"Will what, child?" Nicolae laughed, cutting her off. "What will they do? Please tell me. Please tell me what can they do, now that they're dead?"

Eva went white. "No…" she whimpered. "No no no NO NO!" she screamed, beating him with her fists. "No…" she sobbed, sinking to the ground. Nicolae looked at her impassively, then gestured to the soldier that had found her. "Take this one back to headquarters," he said. "She may be useful yet."

"Leave me alone! Stop it! Riko! Aelis! Rayan! Giselle! Help!" Eva cried as she was dragged away, kicking and screaming. The others could only look at her with heartbroken looks in their eyes as she was stuffed back into the car and driven away.

"As for the rest of you," and Nicolae turned back to them. Looking at them critically, he snapped his fingers. A few soldiers came forward. "You may keep those two together," he said, gesturing to Rayan and Giselle, "And those two also," and he pointed to Will and Riko. "But keep the other two separate," he finished, referring to Yuri and Aelis.

"What will do with us?" Riko asked quietly as she was led away.

Nicolae just smiled. "You will soon see."

AN: (1) Reiming and Meilai are two original characters first introduced in Gundan Wing-Ghosts of the Past. Their specific histories are told in Operation: Natural Selection, including explanations behind the names "Lillith" and "Veylona." The origin of the character TJ is also explained in that story.


	36. Part Thirtysix: Dawn of a New Era

Chapter 46

Rayan wearily opened his eyes, shifting uncomfortably as he tried to crack his neck. His movement prompted a small whimper, and he quickly stopped, remembering that he wasn't alone.

Giselle laying sleeping, head in his lap and arms wrapped awkwardly around his waist. Rayan looked at her tenderly, then bent down to kiss her forehead. Giselle shifted slightly, but remained asleep, her face still red from the tears she had cried before falling asleep.

Rayan sighed, leaning back against the wall of the cell they had been thrown in. Shortly after their capture, they'd been split up and taken back: Him with Giselle, Will with Riko, and Eva, Yuri, and Aelis separately. Giselle had sobbed all the way there, and had continued crying even after they had been locked up. Rayan had tried comforting her, but considering how he felt like bawling himself, he knew he hadn't been much help. But now that Giselle was asleep, he finally had time for his thoughts to wander.

"How…how did this happen?" he whispered tiredly to the bleak walls of his prison. Just a few hours ago, he'd been living a normal life; well, one that had been relatively normal considering how he had been the heir to one of the most wealthy organizations in the known world. Okay fine, so he had been fighting in a war on behalf of the government, so he'd been trained to use some of the most dangerous weapons ever invented, so he'd been a soldier…

"But I never was a soldier," he whispered brokenly, head slumping forward. "I…I never asked for this! How could I have known…?"

But you did, a voice sang in his head. You were asked, and you accepted. You weren't satisfied to be consigned to a desk signing papers for the rest of your life, were you? You thought this would be exciting, an opportunity to become a legend like your parents.

"But I was an idiot!" Rayan argued back desperately. "I didn't truly know what it meant to fight, what it meant to possibly…lose…everything…"

"Rayan?"

Rayan started as the war he'd been having with himself was abruptly ended. Giselle had finally opened her eyes, and Rayan could see that they were red and swollen. "Rayan…" she said again, tears welling up in her eyes again as she tightened her grip again, sobbing anew. Rayan could only pull her close as she cried in his lap. "Rayan…why? Why why why?!" she choked out. "It's…it's just not fair!"

"I know…" he said softly, thinking about his own dead parents and sister. "I never imagined this would happen," he said dully, stroking her hair.

Giselle looked up at him. "What will…what will happen to us now?" she whispered. Rayan tensed. "I have no idea," he said grimly. "Probably try to make us work for them or-"

"Never!" Giselle shrieked, sitting up and staring at him with crazed eyes. "No no no no no!" she screamed, shaking her head vigorously. "They…they murdered my parents! I'll NEVER-"

"Giselle, calm down!" Rayan said anxiously, pulling her close again. "We don't know what'll happen…we might end up being killed," he finished flatly.

"Better that!" her voice announced, muffled by his shirt. "I'll DIE before that happens!"

Rayan only nodded absently, stroking her hair and staring off into space. Before he could say anything, the door was opened and they were led out.

…………………

Will and Riko sat huddled together in a jail cell, Riko trembling in Will's arms. "Will…I'm scared," she said softly, leaning against his chest. Will nodded, tightening his hold. "I know…I'm scared too," he said.

"Do you think they'll kill us?"

Will shrugged helplessly. "I don't know Riko," he said helplessly. "Nicolae's a ruthless son of a bitch, and 'His Excellency,'" and Will paused to sneer at the name, "That tin can is worse. Not even human anymore."

"Tin…can?"

"The head of all this. Lost most of his limbs in an accident and became a cyborg. Brilliant, really, but one of the cruelest people I know. Worse than Nicolae, if that's even possible. Won't stop at anything to get what he wants."

Riko shuddered. "I don't want to die," she admitted. Will buried his face in her hair. "I know baby…I don't want to die either."

Riko suddenly looked up. Stroking Will's face, she murmured, "Will…I know this is sudden. I know…I know that we haven't really gotten to know each other. But in these circumstances, I just want to say…if we get out of this alive, I want to know you more. I think…I think I might be in love with you."

Will stared at her silently for a few minutes, then finally leaned down to kiss her gently. "Yeah…I know what you mean. I think I might be too," he whispered, just as the doors to their cell were opened. Soldiers came in and pulled them apart, leading them in two directions. "Will!" Riko cried desperately, not wanting to let go.

Will put on the bravest face possible. "I love you," he said again, looking at her in the eyes as he was led away. "Remember that always."

…………………

Yuri stared coldly at the figure in front of him, who was looking all too smug for his liking. He'd been brought back apart from the others, and locked up alone. A few hours later, however, he'd been let out and brought to TJ's office, where the cyborg had offered him a position again.

"No," Yuri said flatly, eyes flashing. "Kill me before you convince me to work with you again."

TJ laughed. "So foolish, Yuri," he said. "You're far too young to be treating your life so cheaply."

"Can't say I've done too much good with it," Yuri spat back, glaring. "You may as well just kill me now, because I promise you, I won't be changing my mind."

"Really…" TJ said mildly. Yuri narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What do you have planned?" he demanded. TJ waved him off. "None of your business," he responded. Sighing dramatically, the cyborg turned away from him. "You've made your decision, young man. And you will live with the consequences," he finished, pressing a button and summoning soldiers. "Take him to the designated place," he commanded as Yuri was led away. As the door shut, he smiled coldly. "You're about to learn that you don't try to bargain with me," he said softly.

…………………

Aelis sat alone on the floor, staring blankly into space. She still couldn't quite comprehend what had just happened to her…Her parents, dead. Her brother and sister, also dead. Her entire family as she knew it, save Riko, was gone. And she…she was a prisoner of war. Burying her face in her knees, she thought back to her life before she became a pilot. She'd just finished college, graduated with a degree in English. She'd wanted to become a teacher or a writer. So many dreams she'd had…and now, gone. Even after she became a pilot, things weren't too bad. Granted, she'd been captured by the enemy once already, but then she'd been lucky and escaped. And she had been glad to be with everyone…her cousin Riko, and all the other pilots' children. She still remembered the pillow fights, the attempts at blackmailing the guys, training together with everyone…Even though she knew their parents had been comrades a long time ago, that was in the past, and it was rare that more than two families could ever meet up. The children of the Gundam pilots had been her friends, and now, even they were dead…

Aelis jumped as the door to her prison was opened. Standing in the doorway was Nicolae, who just looked at her. She glared at him fiercely. "You again," she snarled, clenching her fists.

Nicolae said nothing and only observed her for a few more moments, before declaring coldly, "You're pathetic."

Aelis' jaw dropped. "Excuse me?!" she whispered in disbelief, her temper rising. "HOW DARE YOU!" she screamed, flinging herself at him, then letting out a yelp as Nicolae shoved her away easily. She landed in a disorganized heap and sat there dazed.

Nicolae reached down and forced her chin up. "Your parents were my adversaries," he hissed. "Annoying, frustrating, and the bane of my existence, but I gave them enough credit to call them my equals-"

"They were more than your equal," Aelis cut in frostily, glaring at him and yanking herself free from his hold. Nicolae's eyes flashed angrily, but he did not argue. Straightening as soldiers walked in to grab her, he said simply, "But I think that we can both agree that you are far less than what they were," as he walked away.

………………

"Riko!"

Riko started, then ran towards Giselle, who had called her name. The two girls clutched each other tightly, sobbing with relief. "Thank God…you're okay," Giselle cried, shoulders shaking. Riko nodded, tears in her eyes and looking up to acknowledge Rayan. "Rayan…I'm so glad to see that you're well."

Rayan laughed harshly. "Well as can be," he said darkly, glaring at the soldiers that surrounded them. "Where are we anyway?" he demanded, waving his hand.

After being taken from their respective cells, the three of them had been led to the same place: a room overlooking a large auditorium. Will, Aelis, Yuri, and Eva, however, were nowhere to be seen.

Riko glanced up to observe their surroundings. Releasing herself from Giselle's hold but still linking arms with the other girl, they walked over together to a window. "Looks like…a stage?" Riko questioned, pressing her face against the glass. Below them, soldiers were filing in, though the stage remained empty save for two poles. Riko felt distinctly uneasy. "Something's going to happen," she whispered fearfully, then let out a shocked cry.

Both Rayan and Giselle turned towards her at the sound of her voice. Rayan ran over to where the two girls were, and Giselle peered down below. She let out a gasp.

Will and Aelis had appeared, shoved onto the stage by groups of soldiers. "Oh…no," Rayan whispered in horror as he watched each get tied to a pole. "This isn't good…"

…………………

Eva sat huddled on a bed, terrified out of her wits. She'd been separated from the others, thrown into a relatively nice bedroom, and completely left alone. After sobbing alone for the first few hours, she had finally calmed down enough to take into her surroundings. It was plain room, with bed, desk and chair, and a monitor built into the wall. Eva guessed it was a means of communication. Suddenly, the monitor flicked on. Eva shrank back, expecting a face, but instead it seemed to be a video. Curious, she finally climbed off the bed and went in for a closer look. "Aelis and Will…tied up on stage?" she whispered fearfully, hands at her mouth. "What's going on?"

…………………

Aelis' face remained stony as she was being tied to the pole. She quickly glanced over at Will, who had a similar expression on his face. After making sure they had been tied securely, the soldiers left the two alone on stage, leaving them to stare out at a sea of faces. She glanced over at Will again, who felt her stare and turned to look at her. "Hey there," he said wryly. "Fancy seeing you here."

Aelis could only manage a tight smile. Suddenly the crowd hushed as TJ and Nicolae appeared. "Bring him," Nicolae commanded, and suddenly Yuri appeared, led in by soldiers.

Yuri stared at shock at the sight of Aelis and Will, then turned angrily to the other two on stage. "What sick game are you playing?" he demanded.

In response, Nicolae handed him a pistol. "From this day forth, you will be the new leader of this organization," he announced coldly. Yuri stared dumbly. "WHAT?!" he shouted, jerking away.

TJ and Nicolae paid no attention to his outburst. Instead, they gestured to the two tied on stage, who were also staring in shock. "As the leader, it is your duty to dispatch traitors. Choose one," TJ announced.

"Oh…my God," Yuri whispered, realization dawning. He stared wildly at the pistol, then tried to raise it to shoot the cyborg. TJ held up a hand. "Be advised, there is only one bullet in that. You can use it on me, or on Nicolae, but there will still remain one to carry out our wishes. You could use it on yourself, but then I promise you, both those on stage, as well as the others we found, will be summarily shot. Make your decision Wayridge: The lives of yourself and your friends at the expense of one, or everyone…dead."

"You…monster," Yuri whispered, hand shaking. TJ only smiled cruelly. "If only you had been more cooperative…" he murmured. "But it's too late for that now. Make your choice!"

"I…I can't!" Yuri cried desperately. TJ narrowed his eyes. "Careful, Wayridge," he said in a deadly voice. "You are, after all, in front of all your subordinates. Can't come off as weak, now can you," he finished, laughing. "Choose, Wayridge! Save the girl, and she will become your loyal wife. Save your friend, and he will become your right hand man. But one of the two must die."

"No…no…I can't! I-"

"Yuri."

Yuri stared wildly at the source of the voice. Will was looking at him resolutely. "Yuri. Do it. Kill me."

"NO!" Aelis screamed, struggling. "Yuri! Don't you dare! Don't you dare shoot!"

"Yuri, listen to me! Save Aelis! Forget about me!"

"No! You can't! You can't!"

"Dammit Yuri! Pull the fucking god damn trigger! DO IT!"

"Yuri Wayridge, you pull that trigger and I swear I will never speak to you again! Never! I'll hate you forever! I'll HATE you!"

"Are you a fucking man or not you bastard?! Shoot me NOW!"

"YURI!"

Aelis' scream was cut off as Yuri finally raised his head. His shoulders were shaking as he clutched the gun helplessly, the cries of his best friend and lover echoing in his head. Tears streamed down his face as he straightened, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

A single gunshot echoed throughout the auditorium. Aelis let out a scream as Will's body slumped forward limply, eyes staring. Upstairs, Giselle and Rayan were shocked out of their stupor as Riko's body suddenly pitched forward, tears leaking from her eyes as she fainted.

…………………

Aelis was strangely silent as Will's body was taken from the stage and she was untied. "Your savior, milady," Nicolae said sarcastically, waving at Yuri, who was staring ahead blankly. The gun fell from his limp hand and he fell to his knees as Will's body was carried past him. Aelis looked at him impassively, her face devoid of all emotion.

Upstairs, Giselle was shuddering in Rayan's arms, still traumatized by the horror they'd just witnessed. Riko had been carried off after she'd fainted. A soldier gestured at them. "You are free to go see your friends downstairs," he announced before leaving. Rayan glanced downward at the scene below them, then looked at Giselle. "Giselle…"

Giselle finally nodded, and the two of them headed down the stairs. Suddenly, they heard a voice calling their names.

"Giselle! Rayan!"

The two looked towards the direction of the voice. Eva was running towards them, tears streaming down her face. "Giselle!" the younger girl sobbed, throwing herself in  
Giselle's arms. Giselle hugged her tightly. "Eva…I'm so happy to see you alive," she said brokenly.

Eva sniffed. "I…I saw it all on video," she cried, looking up with tearstained eyes. "How…how could they?! How could they be so cruel! It…it was just wrong!"

Giselle nodded. "I know sweetie," she said quietly, trying to fight back her own tears. After the initial shock of watching Yuri execute his best friend had worn off, the realization that she had just lost the brother she'd just found was starting to set in. She clutched Eva tighter in an effort to control her own shaking shoulders. Before, she'd held onto some hope…after all, both Rayan and Will had been alive. But now one was dead, and she terrified that she'd lose Rayan too.

Rayan watched the two girls awkwardly, then looked up uneasily at the stage. Yuri had finally picked himself up, and after some obvious internal struggling, made his way over to Aelis, who only looked at him blankly.

Yuri tried touching her arm. She swatted him away. "Don't touch me," she said emotionlessly.

Yuri stared at her, a mixture of helplessly, pain, and anger evident on his face. "'Don't touch me?'" he repeated, his temper rising. "Aelis, I just killed my best friend for your sake!" he shouted.

"Did I ask you to?"

Both Yuri and Rayan's jaws dropped. "Wh…what?" Yuri said disbelievingly. "What did you say?!" he snarled, grabbing her arm.

"I said don't touch me!" Aelis screamed, yanking her arm free. "Don't touch me, don't look at me, don't have anything to do with me, Yuri Wayridge!" she spat. "I told you! I hate you! I despise you! I'd be happier seeing you dead!"

"Aelis Merquise, whether you like it or not, we are stuck in this together! And considering how I just had the option of ending your miserable little life, I'd expect at least a little more gratitude from you!"

"Expect NOTHING from me. And let's get something straight: There is no 'we,' Mr. Wayridge," Aelis said coldly. Raising a finger to point at TJ and Nicolae, who were a little ways off giving instructions to soldiers, she hissed, "Those two may have said that I'll become your little wife. And maybe I can't stop them. But as far as I'm concerned, this is all your fault. All of your damn, fucking, fault! Your stupid little revenge scheme at the expense of me and my family-"

Aelis let out a shriek as Yuri slapped her. She raised a trembling hand to her face as Yuri stared at her with murderous eyes. "Don't…you…DARE place the blame on me," he said in a shaking voice. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he shook her and shouted, "It's your parents who ruined my family! Do you have any idea what I've even lived through?! Do you?! ANSWER ME!" he demanded, shaking her harder.

"Yuri, stop it!" Rayan shouted, jumping on stage and pulling him away. Down below, both girls had turned to watch the fight with frightened eyes. Yuri struggled angrily against the younger boy, who was desperately trying to keep him away from Aelis. "Listen Winner, if you know what's good for you, you'll let go," Yuri snarled. "I am five times the soldier you are, and you know it!"

"This isn't about that Yuri!" Rayan cried, not releasing his hold even though he knew he was no match for the other boy. "We...we've all lost so much already. And now all we're doing is pointing fingers at the wrong people!"

"That's enough. Separate them," Nicolae announced, walking back towards them. "Take His Excellency, as well as the girl, and get them ready. You can keep the other three together," he ordered.

As Yuri and Aelis were led away, Rayan looked tiredly at Nicolae. "Well I hope you're happy," he said flatly. "Good for you, you rule the world now. And what are you going to do now?"

"What am I going to do? This is what I'm going to do. The two lovebirds," and Nicolae waved a hand the direction the other two had been led off in, "will become the new leaders of the new ESUN. Under the command of two members from the Peacecraft line, we will take humanity to completely new levels-"

"Figureheads," Giselle whispered dully, cutting in. "You're making another Queen Relena," she accused Nicolae, glaring up at him.

Nicolae smiled. "Oh no, Miss Barton. Not just another Queen Relena. Why, with the heirs of the Winner Corporation and the Sank kingdom by their sides, they will form an empire."

"No."

Nicolae raised an eyebrow and turned towards Rayan, who was glaring at him with a mixture of hatred, repulsion, and anger. "No. I won't become your puppet. The others won't either."

"Are you so sure, Mr. Winner? Your friend Yuri said those exact same words. And look at what has happened now. Oh no, don't tell me. You're going to say you'll die first. You're going to say that you'd rather throw away your life than be used. But tell me," and suddenly soldiers appeared. Giselle let out a scream as she was grabbed and a gun pressed against her forehead. "Tell me," Nicolae continued triumphantly, "what will you do when the lives of those you love are at stake?"

"Don't do it Rayan! Please!" Giselle pleaded. Off to the side, Eva beat futilely at the soldiers with her fists. "Let her go! Let her go!" she begged.

Rayan was shaking. Tears finally started pouring down his cheeks as he turned back to Nicolae. "And what will you do with her…if I say yes?" he choked out.

Nicolae smiled. "Nothing you need to worry about. But I can at least say she will be alive, which is more than others can say," he sneered.

"Rayan! NO!" Giselle screamed.

Rayan looked helplessly at her. "Giselle…I'm sorry," he said brokenly. "I…I don't want anyone else to die. Please…" he whispered as she slumped over, defeated. "Forgive me…"

Nicolae nodded. "Good. I'm pleased to say that you have made a wise choice, Mr. Winner." Gesturing to some soldiers, he said, "Take the girl away, and then please show Mr. Winner his new quarters. And treat him with the respect he deserves. He is, after all, the new head of the Winner Corporation," he finished with a smug smile.

"You're sick," Rayan whispered as he was shown away. He stopped suddenly. "What about her?" he demanded, gesturing towards Eva, who was staring up at him with frightened eyes.

Nicolae looked over at her carefully. "Take her to see Miss Yuy," he finally said. Eva looked up wildly. "Riko! Where is she?! What happened to her?" she cried shrilly.

"Miss Yuy had an unfortunate episode where she passed out. She'll be fine, girl," Nicolae said coldly. "Take her to the infirmary."

…………………

Riko opened her eyes wearily. "Ugh…" she groaned, sitting up. "Where…am I?" she asked to no one in particular.

Suddenly the memories came rushing back to her. She and her friends, captured. Her parents and the rest of her friends, killed. Will, killed. Tears started flowing from her eyes as she began to sob. "Will…" she cried, digging her fists into her eyes.

"Awake, are we?"

Riko looked up. "You monster," she whispered, staring at TJ, who had appeared in the doorway. "You heartless monster. Why?" she demanded angrily.

"Why? There are many reasons, Miss Yuy. Some is for revenge. Some is for power. And some…some is because I couldn't stand seeing what you and your parents were doing to humanity."

"Us? This is OUR fault?!" Riko cried in anguish. "How was ANY of this our fault?!" she demanded.

"Never mind that for now. Don't worry, you'll have the chance to make it up. I've been told that your friends Yuri, Aelis, and Rayan have already agreed. The four of you will become the new leaders of the Earth Sphere Unified Alliance-"

"You want to use us?" Riko whispered, shocked. "No! I'll never do it!"

"So said the other three. Remember, you are in no position to argue," TJ said flatly. Turning around, he said, "Rest up. You have much work to do," he finished, leaving her.

Riko stared as the door shut. "No…no," she cried desperately, head in her hands, wishing she could tear her hair out. Her hand suddenly brushed the scarf in her hair. Will's scarf, she realized, pain stabbing her anew. She took out and held in close to her heart, shoulders shaking. Suddenly, she stopped. She stared at the scarf for a moment, an idea forming with her head. Bringing the scarf up to her lips, she kissed it gently. Then with trembling hands, she began to tie a knot.

…………………

Eva whimpered as she was led down a mess of hallways. Everything had happened so fast that she had no idea of what to do except blindly go where she was taken. Finally, she and her escort arrived at the infirmary. "Here to see the prisoner," the escort announced.

The doctor on duty nodded. "I'll take her," he said. The two saluted each other, and Eva found herself pushed towards a door. "In there. You have ten minutes."

Eva nodded mutely, standing outside the door uncertainly. What could she say? She could guess why Riko had fainted. Should she try to comfort her? But she herself was in no position to comfort anyone. She wrung her hands for a few more minutes, finally gathered her courage, and hesitantly opened the door.

She screamed.

Doctors and soldier rushed into the room, pushing her aside. Riko was dangling from a light fixture, the scarf wrapped around her neck. Her eyes were already glazed over, and her tongue was protruding from her mouth. Eva held and stomach and tried not to vomit. "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," she whimpered as doctors and soldiers shouted at each other, someone taking Riko's body down and rushing her away. "Oh my God…Riko! Why?" Eva sobbed, hunched over. "WHY?!" she screamed as someone finally took note of her and took her away.

…………………

Riko opened her eyes, confused. Why was she still alive? She could remember well what had happened: She'd tied a knot in Will's scarf, thrown it over a light fixture, put her head through the loop, and simply stepped off the bed. She could even remember the pain in her neck, the way her body twitched as black dots began to cloud her vision, and she could remember thinking that it was finally ending, that everything was over.

But now she found herself in another bed, very much alive, and with a bruised neck. She hadn't done it fast enough, she realized dully. Someone must've found her and revived her.

The door opened, and Riko suddenly realized she wasn't in a hospital bed. Rather, she was in a rather richly decorated bedroom. Nicolae marched in, dragging a whimpering Eva with him. In his other hand he held Will's scarf, the same scarf she'd tried killing herself with. She stared at the two coldly.

Nicolae stopped in front of her, still keeping a firm grip on Eva's arm. "Well, Miss Yuy," he sneered. "That was rather rude of you. Had you been successful, it would've definitely put a bit of a damper on our plans."

Riko only stared at him in silence.

Nicolae snorted. Looking distastefully at the scarf in his hand, he flung it across the room where it landed in the fireplace. Riko said nothing as the scarf was slowly burnt. Her heart was already dead, anyway. She still maintained her silence as Nicolae yanked her out of bed and dragged her across the room to a desk, where there was a sheet of paper and a pen. "A contract similar to the one your friend Rayan signed. Sign it," he spat.

Riko laughed derisively. "I'll kill myself again before I sign away my life to you," she sneered. She already knew what the contract would say.

"Go ahead."

Riko stopped laughing. "What?"

In response, Nicolae pulled out a long knife and placed in on the desk. "Go ahead. Use this. Quicker than hanging yourself anyway. But," and he pulled out another knife and pressed it against Eva's throat. Eva let out a frightened cry as she felt the knife draw blood. "It'll be both your lives."

Riko stared. "You wouldn't. You wouldn't kill a helpless child. And didn't you find her useful?!"

"Not useful enough. Just watch me," and he pressed the knife harder. Eva began to cry. "Riko!" she begged.

Riko stared at them with wild eyes, and then stared back to the desk. She could feel her heart breaking. The knife or the pen, which one? Finally, she made her choice.

She grabbed the knife.

Eva screamed.

There was silence in the room as Riko took the knife and started hacking off her hair. Tears flowed freely down her face as she viciously sliced off her long hair, leaving it short and cropped unevenly. The other two observed her quietly, Eva with sad eyes and Nicolae dispassionately. When she was finally done, she flung down the knife, picked up the pen, and viciously signed her name. She slammed the pen down, breathing heavily, then looked up with blazing eyes. "Go to hell," she whispered, pushing Nicolae away from Eva and wrapping the younger girl in a tight embrace. "Riko…I'm sorry," said Eva in a muffled voice.

"Don't be sorry Eva. Don't be sorry at all," Riko whispered, hugging Eva. She pulled away and looked at her sadly. "We're in this together, okay? We'll be…just fine…" she choked out as she straightened and Eva was taken away. "Just…fine."


	37. Party Thirtyseven: The New Age

Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to Chihaya, the webmistress of gwdensetsu. I have had the privilege of archiving my stories at her site for the past four some years, and have just recently learned that she will be putting the site on permanent hiatus due to Real Life. Her site was the first place that ever archived my stories, and the fact that I can no longer do so makes me a little sad. However, I completely understand and respect her decision. Chihaya, congratulations on your impending graduation, and I wish you all the best for your future endeavors! This one's for you!

Chapter 47

It was hot, ridiculously hot. Combined with the flashing lights of cameras, and the shouts of reporters, it was enough to drive anyone insane. And yet, none of this seemed to faze the object of the scrutiny, a poised young woman standing at the podium.

Riko showed no sign of feeling the heat, seeing the lights, or hearing the reporters. "That will be all for today. I thank you for coming," she said calmly, ignoring the protests and questions. Turning gracefully, she exited the stage which had been set up in the center of a vast courtyard. It would soon be the third anniversary celebrating the reformation of the ESUN, and Riko was performing her requisite duties of running press conferences and ensuring the event received the publicity that was its due.

And it was indeed a performance, Riko thought to herself, as she settled herself in her air conditioned limousine, her bodyguards at her side. She stared straight ahead, the picture of demure composure, ignoring the gorgeous landscape of the Cinq Kingdom as it sped past her. As the site where three of the four most prominent heads of the ESUN held roots, it had been deemed as the appropriate place for a celebration of freedom.

Riko glanced down at her feet, with her expensive heels. She longed to kick them off, as she had in the past. She longed to lean forward and throw her arms around the passenger seat, chatting up a storm with her driver. Pagan had died a few years before she was old enough to start accompanying her mother on business, but she had enjoyed the company of her driver Roger, a friend of Pagan's who had taken his place.

She longed for many things, but none of her desires were visible on her face. She longed to scream, telling the world the truth behind what had happened three years ago, about the hypocrisy and lies she was being forced to spew. She longed for her family and friends, who had become victims of the true evil and tyranny that controlled the world today. But the time for longing, for wishing for the past, was long gone. The bright and happy Riko was long gone. In her place was this perfect doll, a puppet, who danced to the tune of those who had murdered her family and robbed her of her freedom. The only sign of the girl who had once been was evident in her short cropped hair, a testimony of both love and defiance. Otherwise, there was nothing.

As the limousine arrived at the Cinq Palace, the place of her mother's birth, Riko could only absently wonder what she would wear to that night's ball.

…………………

Usually, ESUN Congressional Sessions were held in Geneva, where the headquarters were located. Due to the celebration, however, today the Congress had convened in the vast halls that had once housed the former Cinq Kingdom's Parliament.

Rayan was not usually present at these sessions. As head of the Winner Corporation, which provided most of the financial resources the ESUN needed, he was still not an actual legislator for the government. That job belonged to Yuri, who now served as the President. Today, however, was different. The Speaker for the Congress, Charles Nicolae, was proposing increased spending towards the development of defense, and Rayan had come to voice his support. It was all for show, but he knew he was helpless to do otherwise. Every time he signed the papers authorizing increased spending for the development of weapons/hunting down of "insurgents," he wished he could shoot himself. But suicide, he knew, was definitely no longer an option.

The pale young man stood. "What the Speaker has proposed is necessary," he announced. "As I'm sure you are all aware, radical resistance groups may be poised to strike during this key moment in our history. While the Preventers are on full alert, it is absolutely vital that we remain vigilant. We have made much progress in these three short years, and are on the final stretch towards absolute peace and prosperity. With your approval, ladies and gentlemen, the Winner Corporation will gladly use any and all means we have available to aid you in the task. We are all working towards the same goal, and I ask that you accept our help."

The chamber echoed with applause, and Rayan sat back down. Tuning out the political rhetoric around him, he glanced up towards the front of the chamber where Yuri was sitting, decked out in all the regalia befitting the President of the ESUN. At his side was Aelis. As First Lady, she did not need to be present at the sessions, but Rayan knew that keeping up appearances was necessary, especially now. Yuri and Aelis had been married three years ago, at the grand unveiling of the new and improved ESUN. It had been a farce of a wedding. No expense had been spared, but Rayan knew all that glitter was needed to mask the loveless union it was celebrating. Aelis had fought, bitten, and screamed as she was being forced into her wedding dress, and as a result had been heavily sedated, staring blankly out at the cheering audience on her wedding day. Rayan had served as Best Man, and Riko as Maid of Honor, and they could both see what the conveniently distantly placed masses could not: Aelis' glazed eyes, Yuri's clenched fists, the awkward way Yuri had kissed the mindless Aelis. Rayan remembered how, once upon a time, Yuri and Aelis had truly loved each other. He could distantly remember Yuri being a heroic deserter, who had thrown away all he had known for love of Aelis (and maybe a little revenge, but that was another story). But the tragedy of her family's death had shattered Aelis, and she had blindly directed her rage at Yuri, the only target available. In the end, even the mild mannered Yuri had lost his patience, and the two existed as man and wife in name only, bound by a piece of paper. Rayan knew for a fact the marriage had not been consummated, and that the two had not touched each other since that day.

Rayan's musings were brought to an end as Yuri stood. "This ends today's Congressional Session. I would like to thank all of you for making the trip here, and I look forward to seeing you ladies and gentlemen tonight at the ball," Yuri announced, formally ending the meeting. Beside him, Aelis rose stiffly as the Congress applauded the President and his wife before they made their exit, Yuri offering Aelis his arm, which she coldly accepted. Once they were in the hallway and out of sight, Aelis abruptly removed her hand and started walking away. Yuri looked dispassionately at her retreating form, then called after her. "Where are you going?"

Aelis didn't turn around. "The maids need to do my hair and makeup," she said frostily. While Riko, Rayan, and Yuri had long resigned themselves to their imprisonment and no longer protested even in private, Aelis still made her resentment known, hurling abuse at Yuri behind closed doors. It was abuse Yuri silently took, as he realized it was the only way she was retaining her sanity. Deep down, Yuri still loved her, and even though each insult was like a dagger to his heart, he refused to let any sign of his anger or pain show. It was the only way he could protect her, to hide her dissension from TJ and Nicolae. Unfortunately, it made for a miserable existence.

Yuri felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned around. Rayan gave him a sympathetic look, and Yuri shrugged and could only smile wryly. "She has to get ready for the ball," he said formally. Rayan nodded, then opened his mouth uncertainly to speak, but Yuri cut him off quickly with a sharp look in his eyes.

Rayan understood. He gave out a small sigh, but nodded and removed his hand. "Thank you for inviting me to today's Congressional Session," he said, as formally as Yuri had been. "You will always have the Winner Corporation's support, Mr. President."

Yuri nodded tightly, playing along. Rayan gave a little bow, then turned to leave, "If you will excuse me, I have an important meeting to attend…" and he trailed off. But Yuri understood, and shook Rayan's hand, taking the opportunity to give the younger man a comforting squeeze as he saw Rayan's hand tremble. "Yes, please go. I know you have…very important business elsewhere," he said quietly as Rayan walked quickly away.

…………………

The official research headquarters of the ESUN housed the world's most advanced technology. It was located underground, in the same place where, many years ago, Treize Khrushrenada had built the monstrous Gundam Epyon. The facility had since expanded, and though there were now many more people than just the lone Treize working there, another individual of equal, and perhaps greater brilliance, had taken his place as its mastermind.

"It is with great sadness that I must inform you of the deaths of-"

Click.

"Reporting live, from the Cinq Kingdom, where just now, Yuri Weyridge and Aelis Merquise have been united in the holy-"

Click.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to be making this announcement to you all as the first elected President of the new-"

Click.

"Reliving the past?"

Eva glanced up at TJ, who had just entered the room, and shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Why not?" she asked mildly, turning back to the computer screen which had been playing old videos from the past three years. TJ chuckled, his voice grating her ears, and walked over to pat her on the head. "Yes dear, why not indeed. Have you seen today's press conference yet?"

Eva pressed another button, and Riko's face appeared on the screen. "I have now," she said neutrally. TJ smiled a deformed smile. "What a good girl you are," he praised her. "So quiet and obedient…It's a good thing we found you while you were young, isn't it? Unlike some people," and he glanced out through the glass window into the lab.

Eva didn't follow his gaze, instead turning away and moving towards a console. "She's almost done with today's exercise. If you'll excuse me, I need to analyze the results." TJ laughed again, but moved away. "Always working so hard. Be sure to keep at it!" he called as he left. Eva gritted her teeth and finally allowed herself the luxury of looking worriedly through the window, where Giselle was grimly engaged in testing the newest mobile suit operating system. Once the Neo-Rommefeller had taken over the ESUN, TJ and Nicolae had promptly relegated the fiery Giselle to the role of lab rat in order to keep her under control. It killed two birds with one stone: They could utilize the talented Giselle's skills for testing, but even more importantly, holding her hostage guaranteed Rayan's compliance.

At that moment, she heard the door open once again behind her, and an anxious Rayan hurried into the room. "How is she?" he asked, staring through the glass.

"Almost done, don't worry," Eva tried reassuring him, even though she knew he wasn't listening. In order to pacify the two, who were still as much in love with each other as they had been before the takeover, they were allowed a limited number of visits each month. It wasn't much, but it was all they had, and they desperately looked forward to the small amount of time they had together.

Eva pressed the intercom button. "Testing complete," she announced, her voice echoing through the lab. Giselle relaxed, exhausted. Technicians hurried over to unstrap her, and Giselle slumped over weakly. Eva could feel Rayan tense beside her. "They really want this new OS to be completed in time for the anniversary," she explained, her voice begging for forgiveness. "I've done all I can to de-bug it, remove all the potential stressors…"

Rayan's lips were pressed tightly together. "But of course," he said stiffly. "As long as the OS is done in time," he forced out. Eva knew he understood. Even though it had been three years, they were all still closely monitored, and they all knew they had to watch what they said. Especially since Aelis didn't seem to be cooperating, the others could only desperately try to compensate for her behavior in hopes of placating their superiors.

The door opened, and Giselle stumbled into the room. Rayan rushed over to hold her. "Giselle," he murmured, burying his face in her hair. Giselle slumped against him, "Hey…you," she muttered, obviously drained. Rayan quickly led her over to a chair and sat her down, pulling up another chair to sit down next to her. "Are you all right?"

Giselle glanced up at both Rayan and Eva. There were dark rings under her eyes, her body was covered with sweat, and her hair was dull and listless. But they all knew what she would say. "Of course I am," she said, mustering as much sweetness and perkiness as she could. "This is tough, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to either ZERO or XERO."

Rayan looked at Eva. "Have you managed to recreate either system yet?" he asked tensely. Despite keeping up appearances, he knew that the last thing they needed was for the Neo-Rommefeller to get their hands on either system. First off, it was doubtful the Neo-Rommefeller could find anyone strong enough to handle either system. Not even the Gundam pilots' children had ever used it, but Rayan knew that wouldn't stop the Neo-Rommefeller from trying it on Giselle. And at this point, three years later and worn thin, he wasn't sure she would be able to handle it.

To his relief, Eva laughed sarcastically. "ZERO and XERO are the stuff of legends, products of a team of ridiculously smart and equally insane scientists and our late parents, respectively. Little old me is going to have a very hard time coming up with an OS even close to that caliber."

"Oh," Rayan said, feigning disappointment, then abruptly turning his attention back to Giselle as she leaned weakly against him. "Are you alright? We don't have to go out and eat lunch if you don't want to; we can stay inside and I'll feed you-"

"I'm fine, really," Giselle reassured him, struggling to sit up but still swaying slightly. Smiling thinly, she put on her best puppy face. "Please…let's go out. I need to see the sun," she said softly, begging him with her eyes. Rayan looked at her, heartbroken, but nodded. The two stood up, holding hands. "We'll see you later, then?" Rayan called over his shoulder to Eva. She nodded, and turned back to her work. "Have fun…I'll see you guys in sixty minutes," she finished sadly, placing emphasis on the time. So many hours of torture, just for sixty minutes of freedom…

…………………

The sixty precious minutes came and went. Hours later, as he and Riko danced together at the celebratory ball, he was still going over the details of the day…How she could barely keep her food down, and even though they were outside, he really had resorted to feeding her despite her protests. How he'd held her close, realizing painfully just how thin she was, and how finally, when it was all over, he'd led her back to the lab, back to her cage, where she'd trembled in his arms and he knew she didn't want to go back, but they had no choice. They had no choice in anything anymore, and he could only kiss her tenderly before sending her back inside, the doors closing behind her. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he accidentally stepped on Riko's foot.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" he stammered, mortified.

Riko smiled sadly at him. "Today was one of the days, right?" she said quietly. In the sea of people, with music blasting, they knew they could safely have a few moments of real conversation.

Rayan nodded painfully. "She's so thin," he whispered brokenly, head slumping. Riko's clenching hand quickly brought him back to his senses, and he abruptly lifted his head again, a fixed smile on his face. Riko nodded in approval, worry evident in her eyes.

"Is the system ready yet?"

"No, not yet," Rayan said, prompting a small relieved sigh. "Eva said she doesn't think she's even capable of recreating something like ZERO/XERO. But I don't know how they'll take that."

"She'll make something good enough," Riko murmured. "Not as devastating as the other two, but she'll make something. She has to," Riko finished grimly. She glanced over at Yuri and Aelis, who were sitting above in a balcony looking down at the dancers, then turned her attention back to Rayan. "And those two-"

Rayan's lips twitched into a mirthless smile. "As happy as ever," he said sarcastically. Riko looked worried. "That's not good."

Rayan glanced at her sharply, eyes questioning her statement. "It's the third anniversary. If Aelis is still acting like that, they'll do something. Can you feel it?" she asked, her worries confirmed when Rayan clenched his hands.

"I…I've shut off myself for the most part. Ever since…that day," he stammered, not able to say it. "But even I can feel it," he said, looking up at them. "They're plotting something, and it won't be pretty. But," and he shrugged helplessly, turning back to Riko, "It's not like we can do anything about it."

Riko nodded, turning her focus back to the music and the dance stops. "No…it's not like we can do anything," she said softly.

…………………

Hours later, the once full ballroom was completely empty save for the workers cleaning up. In her lavish living quarters, Aelis lay on her bed, staring up at the ornate ceiling. She used to appreciate such art, and she could remember being walked through the palace when she was young, staring wide-eyed at the architectural genius that surrounded her. Her father had chuckled at her amazement, tenderly tweaking her pigtails and pointing out all the history behind the rooms…Here was where the King and Queen had lived, here was his room, here was the room where he'd secretly carved his initials into the wall…Oh, and here was the room where he and her mother conceived her and her sister, but she didn't need to know what 'conceived' meant yet…

Aelis shut her eyes at the memory. It'd been a long time since she'd thought of her family, and she didn't want to start now. It was much too painful, and she knew her grasp on sanity was tenuous at best. Yes, she knew she should control herself: She saw the worried looks Riko and Rayan gave her, eyes begging her to behave herself more. But she just couldn't. She didn't want to, dammit! She'd tried being the responsible mature one all her life, and look at where it got her now-

Before she could rant any further, the door suddenly opened. She sat up, but then flopped back down when she saw it was Yuri. "I'm tired," she announced, ignoring him and closing her eyes. The two of them slept in separate rooms, and had done so ever since they had gotten married. It was late, and in Aelis' mind, he had no business poking around her bedroom at this hour. Even as she heard him walk closer, she continued to keep her eyes shut and feign exhaustion, until she felt him grab her roughly and pull her close to him.

Her eyes snapped open. "What're you-" she snarled, trying to pull away, only to realize he was actually seriously holding her. Eyes wide, she stared at him. "What…what's…" she stammered.

Yuri's eyes were hard, and he was breathing heavily. "Aelis," he choked out. "Come to my room."

Aelis' eyes blazed. "Like hell," she spat, trying to free herself, then yelping in pain and surprise as he tightened his grip. "Yuri! Let me go!"

Yuri squeezed his eyes shut. Don't do this, a voice shouted inside his head. But it was drowned out by the memory of the conversation that took place earlier that night.

(flashback)

Yuri stood by the door, a smile firmly plastered on his face as he shook the hand of every leaving guest. Aelis had already left for her private quarters. A steady cycle of thank you for coming's, it was a pleasure seeing you's, and I hope you enjoyed the ball's played on repeat as he bid each guest farewell. Next to him stood Nicolae, who was doing the same thing. When the last guest had finally left, the two men stood in silence, one man scrutinizing the other carefully, and the other resolutely staring at anything but his observer.

Nicolae finally broke the silence. "Been having trouble with your woman?"

Yuri continued staring at the chandelier that was hanging over the door. "Everything is as expected, given the circumstances," he responded shortly.

Nicolae snorted. "If you're not sleeping with your own wife, then there's obviously something wrong," he sneered.

Yuri finally shifted his gaze to Nicolae. "In case you've forgotten, the marriage was your convenient set-up. The two of us are bound by a piece of paper, and no more," he shot back, turning to walk away.

"There needs to be an heir."

That stopped Yuri. Whirling around, he grabbed Nicolae by the collar and shoved him against the wall. "What…what the HELL are you thinking!" he shouted.

Nicolae showed no signs of fear. "Let me go…'Mr. President,'" he said coldly. Yuri only tightened his grip. "She won't agree," he spat. "If you want an heir, go grab someone off the streets."

Nicolae laughed derisively. "The inheritance needs to stay within the bloodline. You could, I suppose, go sleep with some whore, but then how will you explain the ensuing scandal? No, the child must be carried by your legal wife, and it must be genetically both of yours." Despite still being pinned against the wall, Nicolae looked nonchalantly at his watch. "We have been watching her closely. She should be fertile tonight. Just one night," he taunted. "It's not like you two haven't done it before."

Yuri clenched his teeth. "I told you! She won't agree! And I refuse to force myself on her-"

"Do you?"

At the sound of his voice, Yuri slowly released his grip. Nicolae's eyes had lost all trace of mirth. Speaking in a deadly voice, he said, "I told you. An heir needs to be produced, and soon. Preferably more than one. And if your woman's not cooperating, make her cooperate. Otherwise, she will meet a very convenient end, and we will find you a more cooperative replacement. Your choice, Weyridge. Don't forget what kind of position you're in."

(present)

Yuri opened his eyes. Aelis was glaring at him with a mixture of hatred, repulsion, and definitely fear. "I'm not going to tell you again…Let go of me!" she cried shrilly. Yuri stared at her, then slowly started to laugh. "And what will you do if I don't?" he asked mockingly, painfully, before gathering his resolve and finally desperately pushing her down on the bed.

It was over within moments. Aelis had struggled at first, but soon became still, deathly still. For his part, Yuri finished as quickly as he could, then promptly got off the bed. Aelis remained on the bed, unmoving, as he wearily straightened his clothes and got ready to leave.

"I hope you burn in hell."

Yuri paused in the doorway, not turning around. He smiled mirthlessly. "I hope so too," he replied, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

…………………

The next day found Riko and Rayan sitting in Nicolae's office, Riko with her hands neatly folded in her lap and Rayan absentmindedly staring out the window. Nicolae sat at his desk and shuffled through some papers, occasionally glancing up at the two before him but not saying anything. The three of them sat in silence until Yuri finally came into the room.

Rayan snapped to attention. "No Aelis?" he queried, glancing at Nicolae. Riko also looked at him questioningly. "Usually all four of us are present," she stated politely, using rhetoric to disguise her confusion and worry.

Nicolae ignored them and instead addressed Yuri. "Congratulations. I've just been told," and he gestured to some of the papers, "that your wife is expecting."

"WHAT!" Rayan and Riko shouted at the same time, all dignity and protocol gone. They composed themselves quickly, Riko stammering, "Con…congratulations! That's…wonderful news," and Rayan sputtering, "I'm…I'm sure that you will make excellent parents," while both shot confused looks at Yuri.

"There is nothing wonderful about it," Yuri said flatly, glaring at Nicolae and ignoring the frantic looks Rayan and Riko were throwing at him. Rayan nervously attempted to play it off. "Ah…a little hung over from last night?" he forced out, choking out a laugh and praying that Yuri would take a hint.

"Yes, yes!" Riko added, nodding vigorously. "Expecting a child is a beautiful thing-"

"I did what you told me to," Yuri cut them off, focusing burning eyes on Nicolae. "And that is all." Nicolae raised an eyebrow. "I told you to? You did have other options-"

"You would've killed her!" Yuri shouted, slamming his hands down on Nicolae's desk. Rayan and Riko were aghast. "What's…going on?" Riko asked nervously, all of her poise gone.

"Aelis was being uncooperative in playing her role, and so that problem has been fixed," Nicolae said unmercifully. "She will produce an heir, and she will continue to do so until otherwise notified."

Realization slowly dawned on the other two, and they stared at Yuri, horrified. Rayan finally broke the silence. Looking straight at Nicolae, he said flatly, "You are a sick, sadistic bastard."

"I'm glad you're finally being honest, Mr. Winner," Nicolae replied unemotionally. Swiveling his chair around and picking up some papers, he said, "Here're your scripts for today's press conference. The two of you will be announcing your engagement and impending wedding-"

Nicolae was cut off by a roar, as Rayan pounced on him. Guards rushed in and pulled a struggling Rayan off, forcing him to the ground. "You monster!" he shouted. "This goes against everything we agreed to!"

Riko was staring at Nicolae in horror and disgust. "This…this is too much!" she shouted, standing up so quickly that she knocked her chair over. Three years of suppressed pain and rage finally exploded, as she ran over and grabbed Nicolae by the arm. "No! I refuse! Don't you see what this will do to Giselle? To us? Don't you!" she screamed. Nicolae angrily pushed her away. "What I am doing," he seethed, "Is righting the mistakes of the past. And I don't care how I do it, or who pays." He threw the papers on the ground. "You will be married within a week," he barked, "on the same day as the three year anniversary. And you," and he gestured to Yuri, "will be announcing that you and wife are expecting a child today. Now take them away, and keep them locked up until the designated time!" he snapped at the guards before storming out.

…………………

It was quiet, almost too quiet. Giselle frowned at the clock, noting that it was well into the afternoon. No one had come to get her from her room yet, which was strange. She was pretty sure today was a weekday, not that it mattered in lab: She worked any hours and all hours. Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to make the most of this unexpected break by grabbing an apple and walking over to the couch, throwing herself down with a relaxed sigh. Munching on her apple and staring at her ceiling, she glanced over at her TV. "Why not," she muttered. Turning it on, she was surprised to see Yuri, Rayan, and Riko, all on the screen. Some quick channel surfing revealed that every channel was broadcasting the same thing, meaning this was an announcement from the government.

"-our child will be born within the next year…"

Giselle nearly rolled off her couch. "Aelis is pregnant!" she muttered confusedly, regaining her balance and sitting up. Reaching over, she switched on her vidphone. Eva's face popped up. "Did you hear!" both girls said simultaneously.

"I…I had no idea!" Eva said, shaking her head slowly. "It makes no sense," she remarked darkly.

Giselle nodded, worried, then asked suddenly, "By the way, Eva, do you know why no one's come to get me yet?"

Eva stared at her questioningly. "No…I have no clue. I called to ask what was going on, but I was only told to 'wait for orders,'" she grumbled. "I thought you would know…" she trailed off, realizing Giselle was no longer listening.

Giselle was fixated on the TV. Blood had drained from her face, and the half eaten apple dropped from her senseless hand. Eva watched as she fell to her knees, eyes still staring at the TV. "No…" she whimpered, hands at her mouth. "It's…it's a mistake. It has to be!" she cried, tears springing from her eyes.

Eva stared at her, alarmed, then quickly turned back to her computer in the lab which she was using to watch the press conference. She saw that Yuri had stepped back, and Rayan and Riko were at the front.

"-the wedding will be held in the Cinq Palace this Friday at noon, and we invite everyone to come celebrate in our joyous union…"

"NO!" Giselle screamed, beating her fists on the ground as the doorbell rang in the background, signaling the presence of the guards who had come to retrieve her. As she listened to Giselle sob, Eva grimly realized the significance of the timing. She turned back to her vidphone, saw the guards struggling with Giselle, who seemed to have gone limp, heard them calling for a doctor. Finally, she shut it off, then turned back to look at the monitor. She saw the grim, forced expressions on her friends' faces, she heard Giselle's anguished cries echoing in her mind. She closed her eyes for a moment.

"It's time," she whispered, and she opened her eyes, eyes she had inherited from her mother that now held the deadly glint often seen in her father's. "It's definitely time."

Shinigami's daughter, goddess of death, was making her move.


End file.
